Worlds Change With Just One Kiss
by cuzimrobin
Summary: Edward is the CEO of the Cullen Corporation, a bit of a playboy, and also a father. When Bella enters his life, his self imposed rules of 'no dating' are quickly tested. Can he resist her? Will she win his heart?
1. Ch1 Getting Ready For a Night Out

Chapter 1 BPOV

I've been a nervous wreck all day waiting for my best friend and roommate to get home from work. Tonight I needed her help to get me through my second assignment for work. I absolutely love my new job. I just wish it was a more permanent position. I recently got hired at _The New York Times _newspaper as an entertainment journalist. The job is great, the only drawback being that I am only covering for Kate, the staff journalist, while she is on maternity leave. So I have three months to try and make my mark on the newspaper in hopes that I might secure a permanent position with the paper if another journalist slot opens up.

It's incredible how hard it's been to find a good job in this city. At least for someone like me, with a degree in English Literature. My main goal has always been to become a writer, but without having the financial resources to spend full time trying to write the next great American novel, I knew I would have to make a living doing something else in the field while I write in my spare time. Luckily some of my college courses in journalism helped me land this temp position to get me started.

Alice Brandon, my best friend since kindergarten and my roommate now and throughout college, is the main catalyst in my move to New York. Her passion in life is fashion and right before our graduation from college, _lucky shit that she is_, she managed to get a highly paid internship at a top fashion magazine in New York. It only made since to tag along and share an apartment together while we both chased our dreams.

Unfortunately, we have been here three months and my job hunting has been less than ideal. After applying for any and every job available in my chosen field without success, I was forced to search for anything that would supply a decent paycheck. My meager savings was almost gone, and although Alice offered to pay my half of the bills until I found my dream job, I couldn't let her do that. Which eventually led me to my new full time job as a "secretarial assistant" at one of the largest companies in New York, The Cullen Corporation. I'm not exactly sure what kind of business they do there but, I really couldn't argue with the salary, and I guess I'll find out more on my first day next Monday.

For tonight though , it's all about my writing assignment. As an entertainment journalist, once a week I'm assigned a specific 'hot spot' in the city to cover. I visit the establishment as a regular paying guest, observe, and write and turn in my review in time for the Wednesday's Special Edition Entertainment Section. Before her maternity leave started, Kate went with me on my first assignment to kind of walk me through the process. We visited a local day spa, soaked up some pampering on the company dime, and made note of everything article worthy. Per newspaper policy, when we were done, we met the owner or manager on duty, showed them our _Times_ I.D. while explaining our reason for visiting and the upcoming article we would be printing. We asked a few questions and left them with my business card before leaving. It was a fun day and barely like working at all. Kate assured me that 'getting paid to enjoy the town's entertainment' was basically the whole job description. Writing the articles was easy.

_Come on Alice, where are you? Hurry up! _My nerves aren't holding up so good for this second assignment. I'm on my own tonight, and tonight's 'hot spot' was a new nightclub called Twilight. It was rumored to be the hottest new club in town with multiple bars, dance floors and live entertainment. Most single twenty-two year old women would be excited for a night like this, but the club scenes never were my style. I have no idea what to wear, I don't really like dancing, and mingling with strangers is not my idea of fun. That's where Alice comes in. Inside that tiny little body of hers lives a huge burst of energy, friendliness, style and fashion expertise.

Just as I grab the bottle of tequila to down a couple shots to calm my nerves, the front door flies open and a gust of Alice whirls in.

"Okay, I'm assuming you've already showered and are awaiting me to make you beautiful so snap to it and get naked so I can get started here. I brought a dress home from work that'll look perfectly sexy on you and I only have a couple of hours to do your hair and make-up before we get going. I'm so excited for tonight. This is going to be sooooo much fun! Maybe we'll meet some new friends or find you a hot guy to hook up with. Are you drinking already?" Alice says all this in one breath and stares at me expectantly waiting for me to strip my clothes and hand myself over to her.

"Breathe Ali! We have plenty of time, and I was just having a couple shots to calm my nerves. You know I hate doing stuff like this." I slam down a shot and offer her one before I continue. "And also, I'm working tonight, not looking for some hot guy to 'hook up' with."

Alice slams down her shot in a hurry and motions me toward my bedroom. "I know Bella, but you know your job requires you to enjoy ALL the amenities they have to offer at the club. 'Hooking up' with a hot guy really could relieve some of that pent up stress you've had lately. It's been since junior year in college when you and Mike broke up. Aren't you dying to 'get back on that horse' so to speak?"

"No, no, no, Alice! Do not bring up _him_." I quickly cut off her rambling. No need to start off the night on that sour note. I started dating Mike Newton during our first year in college and it took two years to realize he had been whoring around with every willing sorority girl on campus the entire time. _So maybe I have some trust issues and I'm a little reluctant to get involved with anyone right now_. _Who needs a man to be happy anyway? This is the time to get my career started._

"Okay, okay! I didn't mean to mention _him_, but you know what they say….if you fall off one horse find a hot stallion to ride instead!"

I can't help but to laugh at her crazy but sincere concern. "First of all, I don't think that's exactly the right saying, but I do understand what you mean. And secondly, I'm not _avoiding_ men…I'm just not _trying_ to find one. But if it will make you feel better - _if _I happen to find someone worth my time, maybe I'll 'go for a ride' with them, okay?"

"Deal! Now let's finish getting ready and get our sexy asses down to that club!"

Two hours and much 'Alice magic' later and we were out the door and headed to Twilight looking completely fucking hot and not even a little bit trashy.


	2. Chapter 2 Bella meets Eddie Mason

Chapter 2 BPOV

So, it's Friday night and I'm standing outside the hottest club in New York City with my best friend waiting to get in. The place is packed and I want to walk straight up to the door and flash my _New York Times _I.D. and persuade them to let us in before I get impatient and write a less than favorable review. But I would never do that! Journalistic integrity and all that. If they knew who I was ahead of time, it might sway things in our favor but, then the article wouldn't exactly be non-bias.

When we finally made it to the front of the line, the doorman checked out our ages on our I.D.s and then 'checked out our outfits'. Late evening in early September can get a bit chilly, and although the outfits Alice put together were amazing club wear, we were slightly underdressed to be standing on the street for so long. By the way he was eyeing my chest, I would say he probably noticed how chilly I was. With half a smirk, he let us in, and we headed straight to the first set of barstools we saw.

We ordered two margaritas on the rocks and turned our back to the bar to check out the place. The live entertainment wasn't suppose to get started for about an hour. A DJ was playing upbeat dance music. The dance floor that covered most of the open room was packed with bodies rocking out to the beat. The main lights were dimmed almost completely, and neon colored strips of lights trimmed the tops of all the walls. A light cotton candy smelling fog hovered a couple inches above the dance floor. The stage was at the far end of the room, and there was a long bar with bar stools along both of the side walls. The front of the room housed a small concession area and a merchandising booth.

The bartender handed us our drinks, and I handed him my company credit card with my name on it. _Note: Margaritas at Twilight are excellent!_

"This place is awesome, Bella! I can't believe we get to hang out here all night for free. I hope the band is descent." Alice cheered as she sipped her drink.

"Yeah, it's a lot cooler than I thought actually. I'm sure the band will be great too." I replied.

Alice jumped off her bar stool and grabbed my hand. "Come on! Let's go check out the rest of the space before the band starts. I don't want to miss anything!"

We took our drinks and headed to the second floor. There were a few pool tables on one end of the long room, a bar in the center of the room, and an open balcony that overlooked the stage below. The lighting in this room consisted mainly of a million tiny twinkle lights embedded in the dark blue ceiling tiles. There were several pub style tables and tall chairs scattered about the floor plan instead of a dance floor on this level. It still held the vibe from downstairs, but with a little more relaxed atmosphere.

Next, we checked out the third level of the club which actually ended up being a rooftop bar and lounge area. There were speakers filling the air with the music from the first floor of the club. There was a bar in the center of the roof with stools lining all sides, and around the perimeter of the roof there were covered cabana type seating areas with wicker furniture and torch style lighting. A small section near the back was roped off and had a separate entrance leading down to the first level of the club. I notice a few guys hanging out with beers and cigarettes in their hands. They weren't exactly dressed like the normal club goers here, but they each had their own unique look. A closer look revealed two bouncers guarding the ropes. _Maybe this was the band that was going to be playing later_.

Two of the guys were standing near the far end of the ropes talking to a group of flirty girls. Both guys were wearing black pants and dark t-shirts. They were both cute and looked like anyone you might pass on the street. The other three guys were standing in a circle near the center of the roped off area. They appeared to be laughing and joking around with each other, oblivious to anyone else on the rooftop. The one closest to me was standing with his back to me. He had dark wavy hair and a huge build like a weight lifter. I could hear his hearty laugh above everyone else in the crowd. The one guy facing our direction was lean but also very tone. He had dirty blonde hair that was a little longer than the rest of his friends. It was kind of curly and unruly but looked hot on him. It looked like he had blue eyes but it was kind of hard to tell in the dim lighting. But he definitely was HOT! The third guy in the group tipped his bottle of imported beer up to his mouth and took a long drink. His jaw was defined and _beautiful? _He finished his beer and sat the empty bottle on the table beside them before he pulled out a cigarette with his long slender fingers and lit it. I could only see the side view of him, but he looked like he was probably as good looking and a few inches taller than his blue eyed friend. His hair was a unique bronze color and he was lean, but you could see his defined muscles rippling beneath his tight black t-shirt. I noticed he was wearing worn looking faded blue jeans with several rips and holes in them and a pair of black Ed Hardy Vans covered his feet.

I realized I had been checking out these guys in silence for several minutes when I glanced to my side to see Alice doing the same thing.

Finally, she broke the silence with the clucking of her tongue as she shook her head back and forth. "Good Lord! I hope that's the band so I can stare at them for the rest of the night up on that stage….They are so damn fine!"

I laughed at her expression and took another look. Just then a guy in a yellow 'Event Staff' t-shirt emerged from the private stairwell. He said something to the group of guys and stepped aside for them to access the stairs. The two guys in the corner waved goodbye to their flirty girls and walked toward the stairs. The big guy made some comment and laughed loudly again before heading that direction. 'Blue Eyes' smirked at the bronze haired guy and shoved him in the shoulder before following the big guy. 'Bronze Hair' chuckled lightly then took one last drag of his cigarette before dropping it in the ashtray bucket near the ropes, and then he glanced up for a brief second and met my gaze. He was absolutely the most gorgeous man I had ever seen! There was no doubt about it, bad lighting or not, his eyes were the most piercing brilliant shade of green ever known to man. _I think I may want to 'take a ride later' with __**this **__man. _His eyes scanned across the room once before he turned, without expression, and headed down the stairs behind his crew.

_Holy shit! I can't breathe! I need a cold shower!_

Alice grabbed my arm and jerked me toward the other staircase. "Come on! We've gotta get back down there and get a good spot to watch the show!"

We dropped our now empty glasses off at the edge of the bar and rushed back down to the first floor. As we got to the bottom floor, more colored lights lit up the stage, and the crowd of people on the dance floor assembled in a rush towards the stage. Alice grabbed a couple of stools at the bar on the end closest to the stage, and we ordered two more drinks. While I was waiting for the show to start, I took a small notepad from my purse and made a few notes of the club. Suddenly the crowd erupted in cheers, shouts, and whistles. Alice nearly jumped off her seat. I looked up and met those piercing green eyes again and quickly shoved my notepad back into my purse before I was hypnotized for the rest of the night.

The crowd quieted down a bit as the music started, and I was hit with Green Eyes' mesmerizing voice. _Could this guy be even more perfect? _After the first song was over, introductions of the band members were made by my green eyed Adonis. The band was called 'Breaking Dawn'. The two guitar players were introduced as Gabe and Dean. The 'big guy' was the drummer named Emmett. The keyboard was manned by 'Blue Eyes', now known as Jasper. At center stage was the lead singer and guitarist, Eddie, my current infatuation. Alice went wild, along with the rest of the crowd, while I sat paralyzed at the bar and enjoyed the amazing show.

After the final song, Eddie announced that he and the rest of the band would be hanging out for a while near the merchandising booth and encouraged everyone to stop by and chat. Alice was immediately out of her seat and rushing to that end of the room before I could stop her. I quickly caught up with her and told her I needed to go find the owner of the club and introduce myself to close out the details of my assignment. She pouted for a second before I told her to stay in the greeting line; I would catch up with her when I was done.

"Thanks, Bella, baby! I just have to meet the band. They're sooooo good….And Hot! Especially Jasper! You think I could get his phone number?"

I had to laugh at her excitement, although I was a little jealous of the fact that she was going to be meeting the band without me. "I don't know, Alice….maybe. It's worth a shot anyway. I'll find you when I'm done. Let me know how it goes, okay?"

"Okay, hurry though. Maybe you can meet them too. Love ya!" And with that I lost her to the sea of eager fans.

I made my way to the front and asked a worker for the owner or manager, and she directed me to the second floor. From there, the bartender on that level escorted me to the office at the end of a long hallway near the stairs. After quick introductions, I asked the owner a few questions for my article, and we entered into a somewhat lengthier conversation than intended. I finally left him with my card before wishing him a good night and going back downstairs to search for Alice.

Most of the crowd had already left the club, and I easily spotted Alice by the merchandising table, still talking to a couple of the band members, Jasper and Emmett. As soon as she saw me, she squealed and rushed over to grab me and introduce me to her 'new friends'.

"Hey, it's nice to meet you guys. You really put on a great show!" I directed my greeting to both guys.

"Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it." responded Jasper.

"Yeah, we can always use another pretty fan!" Emmett joked and wrapped me in a friendly hug. "Oh, hey! We're giving away a demo copy of our new CD. Let me grab you one. Hey, we'll even sign it for ya!" Emmett signed the CD cover and passed it to Jasper to sign.

Jasper signed it and looked around before handing it back to me with an apologetic look. "I think the other guys split already, but Eddie's still over there at the table signing a few autographs if you want to get him to sign it too."

"Thanks." I replied before looking towards Eddie standing behind the table surrounded by the leftover fan girls. "I'll see if he's not too busy."

"Nonsense!" yelled Emmett. "He's never too busy to flirt with a hot chick!"

I walked over behind the group of girls waiting for an autograph, feeling a little embarrassed. I don't think I'm really 'a hot chick' exactly. Plus, getting this friendly with total strangers from a band was a little weird for me. I really did enjoy the show, but I'm ready to get back to the comfort of home and work on my article. I decided to at least let 'Green Eyes' know that I thought they did a great job_. That's the polite thing to do, right? Everyone likes to hear that their work is appreciated._

The last of the giggling girls stepped aside, and I was face to face with the beautiful man I had stared at all night. Now that I was this close, I was at a loss for words.

He looked at me for a few minutes before speaking. _He was probably trying to figure out what was wrong with me. _"Hey, I'm Eddie Mason. It's nice to meet you. Did you enjoy the show?" he asked before reaching for my CD to sign it.

Just as I was handing it over, Alice jumped to my side. "Hey Bella, I'm just gonna go grab the car and pull it up. I'll meet you outside, okay?"

"Sure, Alice. I'll be right out." I looked back at 'Green Eyes' to find him smiling at me.

"Bella? That's a beautiful name." He signed my CD and handed it back to me.

"Thanks, umm…..you guys really did put on a great show. I really enjoyed it!"

Before I could say anything else, two model looking blondes with barely clothed bodies walked up behind the table next to him. One of them rubbed along his arm while the other one whispered something in his ear. He nodded to them and looked back at me briefly.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed the show. I hope you can catch us again sometime. We play in the area every once in a while." Then he walked away with one arm around each girl.

_Okay, that was a little rude, but whatever. I'm ready to get out of here._

As I was walking out the door, I realized that I didn't have my purse with me, so I turned around to go back in. The guy at the door was trying to tell me they were closed and I would have to come back tomorrow before I explained that I had left my purse in the owner's office while I was discussing the _New York Times _article I was writing about the club. He looked me over for a second, probably trying to figure out if I was telling the truth or not, and then told me to go on back but hurry up so he could lock the door.

I ran up the stairs to the second floor and started down the long hallway to the owner's office. I started to pass another door that was half open and glanced in. It must have been some kind of lounge for the entertainers. It had a couple of couches arranged in a U shape. There was a coffee table in front of it with a bowl of fruit, wine chilling in an ice bucket, and several wine glasses placed on it. There was low music filtering through the speakers, and stretched out on the couch was Eddie with both girls touching and kissing all over him. All three of them were topless. Before I could walk away, Eddie opened his eyes and caught me staring at them. He gave me a way too sexy crooked smile and winked at me as I hurried past the door to retrieve my purse. I grabbed my purse from the owner, told him goodbye again, and literally ran back down the hallway, down the stairs, and out of the club.

Alice was waiting for me at the curb, and I hopped in the car completely red faced, out of breath and utterly embarrassed.

"Wow, what were you doing in there that has you so flustered," Alice asked as she sped away from curb and down the street.

"Ugh, I don't even know what to say! I completely embarrassed myself in there!"

I ended up telling Alice all the details of the incident as I closed my eyes and shook my head to try to rattle the memory away.

"Oh, my god! I can't believe you just stood there watching. That is embarrassing, Bella!" She shared in my distress for approximately three seconds before breaking into a hysterical laughter.


	3. Chapter 3 The Club EPOV

Chapter 3 EPOV

The past week had been one stressful meeting after another. I was so glad it was finally Friday, and we had a show to do at the new Twilight club. It was a great way for me to relieve some stress; my real job was pretty demanding most of the time. Also, it had been almost a month since I had gotten laid. I've had too many other things going on in my life to worry about 'getting any'. But after a show, I've always had my pick of hot females to choose from, and they were more than ready to show me a good time.

Even though it was quite easy for me to get a date pretty much any time I wanted, dating isn't on my list of interests right now. In fact, it's been years since I've been with the same girl more than once. And NEVER have I taken a girl back to my apartment. There's only one girl who belongs there, and she definitely owns my heart.

I rushed home and changed into some comfortable band clothes before heading to the club to meet up with the guys for a few drinks before the show. Jasper and Emmett were already at the club when I got there. We headed to the back entrance and up to the top level of the club to hang out and relax. A little later, Gabe and Dean showed up, but they were too busy flirting with some young girls to hang out with us. About fifteen minutes before the show, one of the club staff members came up to get us.

"Come on, Eddie! The sooner we get on with the show, the sooner you can get your dick rubbed by some hot chick afterward," Emmett laughed.

"You know he's right. You'll probably scope out the crowd and make your pick before we even finish the first song. It's been a while; hasn't it?" Jasper joked as he shoved my shoulder.

"Yeah, it's been too long. I'm definitely ready for the after party. Maybe I'll pick more than one girl to make up for what I've missed the past few weeks." I took one last drag from my cigarette before tossing it. The only time I smoked was when I was out drinking with my friends.

I took a quick glance around to see if I could spot any 'lucky ladies' in the area. I caught the eye of a beautiful brunette staring back at me. She looked way too good to be hanging around here. She was dressed pretty hot, but something about her seemed to scream innocence. She was beautiful, but definitely not someone I would just 'hook up' with for the night. _Well, hopefully the club will be packed with a few naughtier girls by the end of the night. _I ran down the stairs to get ready to take the stage. A few moments later, we were on.

The club was packed. The crowd was roaring and definitely ready to party. As I entered the stage, I noticed the brunette beauty from upstairs sitting at the bar with her friend. And it looked like she was … writing in a book?_ What kind of girl comes to a club concert and does their homework? This girl, obviously._ As soon as I started singing, I noticed she put the pen and paper away and I had her attention the rest of the night.

By the end of the show, I was on an adrenaline high from the performance and more than ready to head off with a couple of lovely ladies. Before I could do that, we had to greet the fans first. We have always tried to connect with people on a more personal level whenever we get the chance. I mean, the whole reason we do this shit is so we can share our music and enjoy it with other people.

So, the whole band headed to the front of the club to give out copies of our CD and sign autographs as we got to greet and talk to some of our fans. As usual, I received a ton of phone numbers and requests to hang out afterwards. There were two girls who especially caught my attention. They were both tall, slender, with all the right curves, and totally gorgeous. They were not so discreet when they propositioned me by telling me they would wait upstairs until I was done here, and not to worry because they would find a way to keep each other busy while they waited. Apparently, my choice for the night was already made.

The last fan I greeted ended up being the brown eyed brunette I had been curious about earlier. She looked a little shy and maybe even a little uncomfortable as she approached the table. I introduced myself and took her CD to sign it. I learned from her friend, who was leaving, that her name was Bella. I had to smile at hearing how fitting her name really was.

As soon as she started talking, we were interrupted by the two hot girls waiting for my company. Lori, or maybe it was Lauren, leaned in and whispered that they were finally bored exploring with each other and needed a man to finish their fantasy. _Okay … well, I hated to be rude to Bella; but they needed me, and I really needed them right about now_. So, I made a rather quick departure and headed upstairs to the lounge on the second floor. I didn't even think to shut the door completely before clothes were being torn off and I was lying on the couch, covered in two warm bodies and being attacked by soft lips and hands. Just before things started to get a little more x-rated, I looked up and noticed someone looking through the partly opened doorway. _Whoa - what the fuck? It's Bella, and she's….watching? Maybe she's not so innocent after all. Or maybe she even wants to join in. Now __**that**__ would be awesome! _I had to let her know that if she was up for it, I was most certainly interested - without making a big deal out of it. So, I simply gave her a wink and …okay, she bolted like lightning. _Yeah. So, innocent was probably a better guess. _

After she was gone, I had one of the girls hop up and lock the door before things escalated. I have to say, those girls were seriously two of the horniest women I had been with. They must have been really good friends too, because they honestly knew how to pleasure each other well while we all three maneuvered our bodies together.

A couple hours later, the club bouncer knocked on the door letting us know they were all done closing up the club for the night and it was time to go. I walked the girls to their car and gave them both a kiss on the neck. _I would never kiss any of these girls on the lips_. I thanked them for a great night before jumping in my own car and heading home alone.


	4. Ch4 Bella's Second Assignment

Chapter 4 BPOV

I walked through our apartment door with Alice following behind me, still laughing the whole way.

"Okay, enough! I already wish I could erase the whole night, and now I still have to write about it," I begged her for a little compassion.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make it worse. Just forget about it anyway. It really wasn't a big deal. It's not like you two even know each other at all. You probably won't ever meet him again or anything." Alice tried to comfort me.

"You're right. I'm gonna head to bed now. Do you have anything planned for tomorrow?"

"I'm going to sleep in for a change, and then maybe you and I can go shopping a little bit for your new work wardrobe. Tomorrow night I have a date with John, the guy I met at Starbucks last week. Remember I told you about him? Well, anyway, he called me today during lunch and invited me to the theatre tomorrow night."

Alice is blessed with great social skills when it's needed. She never has any problem finding plenty of dates and makes friends so easily.

"That sounds great, Alice. And shopping for a _little bit _sounds good too. Hey, what happened with that Jasper guy? Did you get his phone number?"

"No, I didn't even ask. Once I got up there and met them, they were just so cool and friendly; it didn't feel right to try and snag his number like some crazy groupie. They said they play in the area as often as they can, so maybe I'll see them around again. If we meet again it won't be weird asking for his number then. We'll already have 'history'. Right?"

Again, Alice's logic cracks me up. "Sure, great plan. I'll see ya when we both wake up around lunchtime. Goodnight, babe!"

"Goodnight, sweetie! See ya tomorrow."

I walked into my bedroom and stripped down to just my panties to sleep in. I decided to look over my notes on the club and maybe jot down anything I may have forgotten to write while I lay in bed. I went to grab my notepad out of my purse and noticed the CD tucked in the side pouch. I pulled it out and looked at the signatures on the front cover when I noticed the note above Eddie's autograph**. **_**To Bella, Definitely a very beautiful woman! Enjoy listening, Eddie Mason**_

_He thought I was beautiful? _I still don't know how to feel about what happened tonight. But the more I thought about it, the more anger and frustration nudged the embarrassment out of the way. I mean, he seemed like a nice guy, but then he was a little rude rushing off with two girls like that. And what the hell was with that wink when he caught me watching? Did he think I was enjoying the show? Or was he just an arrogant ass trying to gloat about his conquests? Whatever, Alice is probably right. I probably won't ever meet him again anyway.

Their music was good though, so I decided to pop the CD in and listen to it quietly while I worked on my notes for the article. I drifted off to sleep, to the sound of his sweet voice, and ended up having some pretty erotic dreams starring you know who.

Saturday, Alice and I woke up late and went to lunch before a quick trip to the mall. I bought a few new pieces for my office attire that I would need next week when I started my new job. After our shopping trip, I went back home and ordered Chinese food for dinner while I worked on my entertainment article, and Alice went out on her date with John.

Sunday, Alice and I basically lounged around the apartment all day. We watched a few movies and ordered pizza for dinner. We did a couple loads of laundry before Alice went to bed early for work in the morning. I stayed up a little later watching late night TV and searched the net for area jobs in the literature field.

Monday morning, I stopped by the _Times_ to drop off my finished article for Wednesday's paper, turned in my receipts, and filled out the invoice papers for the expenses from the club. Then I picked up the details on my new assignment, which was a high class restaurant downtown. This venue was something that was more up my alley than the nightclub. After I left the newspaper, I stopped by the grocery store and picked up a few things before heading home and putting together my famous lasagna recipe for dinner.

Tuesday, I cleaned the whole apartment top to bottom and reorganized my closet to better access my dress attire for work. When Alice got home, I decided to invite her along to my next entertainment review. We decided to go on Thursday. It happened to be September 13, and also, my birthday. Since Alice insists on celebrating it, I figured I could at least stop her from spending too much money on me by using my job to cover the 'birthday dinner'.

Wednesday, I made the reservation for my birthday dinner at New Moon, the _Times'_ choice for the next entertainment segment. I spent the rest of the day trying to come up with good ideas for an attempt at my first novel. Nothing really great came from my brainstorming, so I put it on the back burner for a while.

Finally, it was Thursday and I had something productive to do. I got ready for dinner, dressed in a nice cable knit sweater dress. I curled my hair, pinning up just the sides and leaving the rest long and flowing. As soon as Alice got home, she gave me a gift of several new outfits for work. Then, we hopped in her car and headed out to New Moon. Alice drove an older, almost classic, candy apple red Porshe. It was beautiful, and much better to drive to a fancy restaurant than my plain, silver Honda civic.

New Moon was a very classy, upscale restaurant. I probably never would have eaten there if the bill wasn't being footed by my job. The food was absolutely delicious, and the service was top notch. The atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable. I could also imagine it being quite romantic for a date. The tables were all glowing with a small votive candle and classical music was softly filtered in from above. I couldn't find a single flaw with this place.

After eating, we decided to hop over to the restaurant's small bar which was separated from the main dining area. There was only one other guest seated at the bar. He appeared to be enjoying a cocktail while waiting for his dinner companion to arrive. Alice excused herself to the bathroom while I ordered our drinks. The bartender asked to see my ID and noticed it was my birthday.

"Well, let me wish you a happy birthday! These first two drinks are on the house," the handsome bartender offered.

"Oh, well, thank you. That's very kind," I responded just before I felt the warmth of a body standing very close beside me. Then, I heard the voice that matched my dreams every night, and I turned slightly to see 'Green Eyes' standing next to me at the bar.

"Hey, Sam. Can we get another bottle of wine for our group in there?" He gestured to a secluded room near the back.

"Sure, not a problem. I'll have someone bring it right in," Sam replied.

"Bella, right?" 'Green Eyes' stared back at me.

I was more than shocked that he remembered my name, and a little embarrassed as I remembered the other part of our meeting. Blushing, I tried to reply with some semblance of grace. "That's right. I'm surprised you remembered. It's good to see you again," I said with a smile.

He had a bit of a strange expression on his face, and he looked like he was getting ready to walk away when he leaned in close to my ear and barely spoke his next words. His quiet voice was dripping with sex as he said, "Well, happy birthday, Bella. I happen to be friends with the owner. I could get us a private room upstairs, so I could give you a really good fucking … birthday present."

_Holy shit! Oh, my god! Holy shit! How the hell do I respond to that?_

I guess I must have taken too long to answer because he backed up and started to walk away. He got a strange glint in his eyes, just before he gave me that crooked smile and said, "Or maybe you'd just prefer to watch?" Without waiting for any kind of response, he quickly turned and disappeared into the secluded room nearby.

_Oh, my god, again! What the hell is going on with this dude? Maybe I should follow him into that room and just fuck him and get it over with_.

While I'm still sitting there with my mouth agape, Alice decides to show back up and immediately wants to know what is wrong with me. Instead of telling her another embarrassing story, I just shook my head and downed my drink.

"I'm actually getting pretty tired, Alice. I think I'm gonna go ahead and find the owner so we can head on home. Go ahead and finish your drink and I'll be right back." I asked Sam, the bartender, where to find the owner and he pointed towards the same secluded room Eddie had disappeared into. _Great! _

"Sure, Bella. I'll just sit here and get acquainted with Sam. How are ya, Sam?" Alice segued from dismissing me to flirting with Sam in one fluid motion.

Reluctantly, I walked to the doorway and stood for a moment, awaiting someone to take notice of me. Unsurprisingly, the first person to look up was Eddie. He didn't say a word; just cocked an eyebrow in expectation of my response. I took a quick glance around the room, hoping someone else might help me. There was a beautiful blonde sitting next to Eddie and beside her was…Emmett? There were a couple other girls and …Jasper? It was then that Jasper stood up and started to approach me.

"Can I help you with something?" he asked.

"Umm….yeah, I was told I could find the owner of this restaurant in this room?" My words were less than eloquent and came out as a question. I don't know why I was so nervous. _Well, yes, I do. It's because the owner of the beautiful green eyes, that were staring at me from across the table, had just propositioned me for sex a few minutes ago_. _Okay, Swan, compose yourself. This is business. Do your job!_

Jasper then extended his hand to me. "Yes, I'm the owner. What can I do for you?" _What? ….Okay_.

I'm sure I gave Jasper a confused look before continuing on with business and shaking his outstretched hand. "Okay, great! Well, can I have a moment of your time, if you don't mind?"

"Certainly, we can step into my office if you'd like." He motioned toward another door just a few feet away.

"That would be great. I hate to pull you away from your guests, but it will only take a minute." I followed him into his office, and he shut the door before offering me a seat in front of his desk. I accepted the chair as he took his own seat behind the desk.

"Well, what can I do for you, Miss…"

I already had my work ID in my hand before I started to explain. "Actually, we've met briefly before…after the show at Twilight Friday night. My name is Bella Swan, and I'm a journalist from _The New York Times_." I showed him my ID badge and continued explaining why I was here.

"Of course! I thought you looked familiar. I'm sorry I didn't recognize you right away, but it's sometimes hard to place faces from other events. That's kind of like a different persona for me," Jasper explained with a warm smile on his face.

"Oh, I understand completely! It's kind of funny that both times I've met you I've been on assignment. I was actually at the club that night doing a piece for the entertainment column also." It felt strangely comfortable sitting and talking to Jasper. It was like we were already great friends, but we barely knew each other. I asked him a few more questions for the article and complimented him on his restaurant as I assured him the article would paint a fantastic view of his establishment. I gave him my business card and told him to look for the article in Wednesday's paper.

"Well, I'll let you get back to your guests now. Thanks again for your time. Maybe we'll run into each other again sometime. Do you have any other jobs I don't know about?" I teased him as I got up to leave.

"Nope, no other jobs yet!" he laughed. "Bye, Bella, and thanks in advance for the great review. I hope we do see each other again sometime."

Jasper was really nice in a genuine way and not in a 'creepy words with undertone' kind of way. I pried Alice away from the bar and her conversation with Sam, and we headed home. During the ride home, I told her all about how Jasper ended up being the owner of New Moon and left out the part about Eddie again.

Before I went to bed, I got a phone call from my dad wishing me a happy birthday before he headed to work for the night shift at the station. Charlie, my dad, was the police chief back in our little home town of Forks, Washington. He works way too hard and only takes time off to go fishing with his buddies. We don't really talk all that much, but we both know how much we love each other.

Again, I put my Breaking Dawn CD on as I climbed into bed and tried not to think about how weird my day had been.


	5. Ch5 The Cullen Corporation

Chapter 5

EPOV

Aside from the literal fuck fest of Friday night, the rest of my weekend had been contentedly relaxing. Saturday was spent playing with my favorite girl, and Sunday we had an enjoyable family dinner at Mom and Dad's house. So far, this week at work had been pretty uneventful, thankfully. And tonight was going to be spent hanging with my friends and just enjoying the evening. Luckily, my best friend, Jasper, owns one of the nicest restaurants in town. That's where we spend many great evenings, as often as all of us can manage getting together, usually at least once a week.

Tonight Jasper brought two of his friends from college, Vicki and Bree, with him. Emmett and his fiance, Rosalie, were also there. Sometimes Dean and Gabe join us, but they were both out on dates tonight. I guess they didn't want to be overshadowed by our company, so they didn't show up at New Moon.

Everyone was having a good time, eating up the delicious food and enjoying a few drinks. Vicki and Bree were drinking the wine like it was water and wanted another bottle. I offered to go get it from the bar when I was pleasantly surprised by the sight of a familiar brown eyed brunette. As I approached the bar, I heard Sam offer Bella a free birthday drink. I stood right beside her while requesting more wine from Sam and waited for her to notice me. I caught a glimpse of her looking at me, and if she did recognize me, she wasn't going to say anything. So, I decided to greet her first.

She seemed genuinely surprised that I remembered her name. Now that I think of it, so was I. I barely ever remember the names of girls I meet, other than business associates. She gave me such a sweet smile when she said it was good to see me again. _So, she did remember me after all. _I don't know why I said what I said next. There was something about the way she was looking at me. It was like lust and desire, but still camouflaged in innocence and just pure sweetness. I could have just politely wished her a happy birthday. And honestly, I don't know why I didn't. I just couldn't resist, and basically propositioned her with on the spot sex instead. _What did I really expect her to say? _I'm pretty sure she was speechless, and I should have apologized. But, she was so much fun to tease. And I just had to make a comment alluding to the night I caught her watching me with two half naked girls. The look on her face was priceless - mostly shock, some embarrassment, and lastly…maybe a little bit of anger? I had to walk away before I said or did something I would surely regret. I'm really not a dick to girls, and I honestly don't treat them badly at all. In fact, I treat them pretty damn great. Except for the fact that anything intimate is a one time deal, but most of them understand that from the start.

I went back to the VIP room, probably with a bit of a smug expression on my face, and received a questioning stare from Jasper. A few minutes later, Bella appeared in the doorway asking to speak to the owner. What the hell? Was she going to complain that I sexually harassed her while she was at the bar? _Well, she wouldn't exactly be lying. _Jasper took her to his office and came back a few minutes later. Turns out, the brunette beauty is a journalist for _The_ _New York Times_,and she was doing a review on New Moon for the entertainment section. Well, that kind of threw me off. She was obviously smart, not that I ever thought she was stupid. I guess with her innocent look and shy demeanor, she just didn't strike me as a career woman. _And aren't most journalists kind of obnoxious?_ God, why does this girl intrigue me so much?

Apparently, according to Jasper, she was working on an article Friday night as well. So, she wasn't some star crazed, ditsy chick hanging around to meet some barely rock stars. She was most likely single though, since she was at dinner with a girl friend and 'working' on her birthday. But, the way she looks at me…I'm still not sure if she wants to have sex or not. Why am I even worried about it? I should probably just stop thinking about her. I've barely even met the girl, and already she's making my head spin. Trying to figure her out can't be anything but disastrous to my preferably single lifestyle_. I'll have to make sure to remember to read her review on New Moon in Wednesday's paper_. What the fuck is wrong with me?

Since becoming a little more than frustrated after dinner, I decided to go home with Victoria for a little stress relief. It's in no way a substitute for the sweet brown eyed girl I can't get my mind off of, but hey - I'm a twenty-six year old male with certain needs. Maybe I'll plan a trip to Vegas with Jasper for the weekend. That could relieve a lot of stress too.

BPOV

On Friday, I spent the day writing my article on New Moon. I gave the place a lot of praise because it really did deserve it. I went ahead and ran the finished copy down to the paper before they closed for the day, and submitted all my paperwork for the expenses. I wasn't sure if I would have time to do it Monday because I had to start my new job, and I wasn't sure what kind of breaks I would get on my first day. I'm sure once I'm settled in there, I'll be able to run to the _Times_ on my lunch break since the buildings are pretty close to each other. My new assignment wasn't chosen yet, so they said they would email me the details by Monday.

The rest of my weekend was spent cleaning out and washing my car, doing laundry, and grocery shopping. A couple of hours on Sunday were spent at the day spa with Alice. As a congratulations on my new job, she wanted to treat me to some much deserved pampering. We both got a mani/pedi, facials, and full body massages after the brutal waxing we endured. Yeah, you know the one - eyebrows, underarms, legs and Brazilian bikini wax. I'm telling you; it was brutal!

So, bright and early Monday morning, I found myself shining like a new penny and walking into the huge building of The Cullen Corporation. I had no idea where I was suppose to report to, so I asked the lady at the front desk. She sent me up to human resources on the tenth floor and told me to ask for Bonnie.

Upon finding Bonnie, I was handed a stack of paperwork that was as thick as the phone directory. Most of it could be filled out at home and brought back tomorrow, as explained by Bonnie. Those included forms on my medical history, past education, and basically a family history and personal references. _What kind of company needs all of this information for you to be a secretarial assistant? _There were about thirty-five pages that had to be filled out immediately before I could proceed any further. She left me at a small kiosk desk with my paperwork and a few pens, and told me to come find her when I was done.

About an hour later, I found Bonnie again. She took me into a conference room with a projector screen, where I sat for another forty minutes watching a film about the companies history and current place in the market. Next, I received a handbook on company policies, and, finally, I was briefed on my new position with the company. The last stop with Bonnie was to the ID station where I had my picture taken and was presented with a credit card style photo company identification badge that allowed elevator and stairwell access to all the floors above the tenth.

Next I was sent by the 'name badge maker', Joe, to the one hundred and twenty-sixth floor where I would be working. I was exhausted by this process already and wondered what time I would get a lunch break. In my rush to not be late this morning, I had forgotten to eat breakfast.

I swiped my badge for the elevator and hauled my ass almost all the way to the top of the fucking building. There were one hundred and twenty-nine stories to this building and a rooftop access which houses the company helicopter. My badge cleared me to every floor except the very top floor and the roof. Apparently, The Cullen Corporation was a family business, and it was run by a father and his two sons. The top floor was completely designated for the father, who was the President of the company.

As soon as I stepped off the elevator, the hallway and surrounding work areas were filled with workers briskly walking in all directions, paperwork passing from hand to hand, phones ringing constantly, and a chorus of voices echoing off the walls.

I stopped the first person who was traveling slow enough for me to interrupt them, and asked for Miss Hale's office. The gentleman walked me to the end of the hall and pointed me in the right direction. Once I found the right door, I entered a large office suite that was very spacious and uncluttered with only two desks visible. The one closest to the door was empty, and the other desk was occupied by the beautiful blonde woman who was sitting next to Eddie Mason at New Moon the other night. The nameplate on the desk said Rosalie Hale, so I assumed I had found my destination. Miss Hale was busy answering a string of phone calls and typing information in her computer simultaneously.

As soon as she had a break for a second, she waved me over to her desk.

"Miss Swan, I hope?" she asked with an expectant look on her face.

"Yes, Isabella Swan. I'm suppose to start work here today."

"Well, of course you are! Why else would you be standing there with a company name badge and that scared look on your face?" Okay, so she was a little abrupt, but she quickly jumped up from her seat and motioned for me to follow her to the other desk.

"Okay, this will be your desk." She opened the top drawer, pulled out a name plate that already had my name engraved on it, and placed it at the front edge of the desk.

"In case you haven't figured it out yet, you will be my assistant. We both work directly for Edward Cullen, one of the companies CEO's. There are only three. Carlisle Cullen is the main head of the company, but he's often gone on business and isn't always here. Edward is the next in charge." She paused for a second and looked at me to make sure I was following along, so I just nodded and she continued, "Did you see how big this building is? Do you realize how many people work here?"

Again, I nodded and waited for her to continue. I'm not really sure why she seems to think I'm a kindergartener, but she certainly is explaining everything in a simplistic fashion.

"All major decisions…everything that affects this company, goes through this office. This suite is secluded from the rest of the building to provide the optimum working conditions for Mr. Cullen. You will use the private elevator over here to come and go from this suite. Except for the rare occasion, you, me, and Mr. Cullen are the only people who should be in this office. The two floors above us are completely made up of several different conference rooms. That is where all visitors and business associates are to meet. There is a chart on the wall here, which shows you the layout of all of the rooms and the scheduled meetings for those rooms each day. A lot of your job will be to have these rooms ready and supplied with whatever charts, files, or materials each meeting calls for. I'll give you whatever work I need you to help me with and explain things along the way. Any questions?"

_Wow! Should I ask a question or just nod like I've been doing? Well, here goes…_

"I understand that I will be working for you and ultimately, Mr. Cullen. I'm fine with doing whatever you need me to do, but is there any information that I need to know as far as Mr. Cullen is concerned?"

"That's an excellent question! Mr. Cullen is a very busy man. You will probably see him come and go quite often, but most of the time, if he is here, he will be in his private office at the end of this suite. If he needs anything from either one of us, he will most likely direct all communication through me. So, I don't really think there's much you need to know ahead of time. Anything else?"

"Nope, I'm good. Just tell me what you want me to do first."

A satisfied smile crept across Miss Hale's face and she directed me to the wall where the conference room charts were hanging. "Familiarize yourself with these charts first. Then pull whatever information from these files you need for each meeting and organize them according to rooms and times, so you will have them ready for each conference room when needed. If you see something on the chart and we don't have the file for it here in our office, call down to recordkeeping and ask them to send it up ASAP. The extension for recordkeeping is noted right here on your phone switchboard. If you have any trouble, just ask me and I can point you in the right direction."

"Okay, thanks." I stared at the wall and the stack of files she bounced on my desk and decided to just jump right in. It really wasn't all that difficult to figure out. They had a pretty meticulous and full proof system worked out.

Miss Hale went back to her desk and resumed her work on the computer while I readied the files. I had to call down to recordkeeping several times, and the files were brought up within minutes. We both worked separately and in silence. At about eleven thirty, she finally spoke again.

"Mr. Cullen takes his lunch everyday at exactly twelve o'clock. It is recommended that you also take your lunch at that time, since there is less pressing business while he is out of the office."

About five minutes later, the silence was once again broken, but not by Miss Hale. It was that same voice I'd begun to know by heart.

"Miss Hale, I'm expecting an important call from Mr. Webber before lunch. Please hold all other calls except for him."

"Absolutely, Mr. Cullen. Have you met our new assistant yet? Isabella Swan?" She stood to introduce us, and as we turned to greet one another, both our eyes grew wide; an awkward pause filled the introduction.

"Um…have you two already met?"

Mr. Cullen, a.k.a. Eddie Mason, immediately spoke up and stretched his arm out to shake my hand. "No, Miss Hale. We haven't been introduced yet. Good to meet you, Isabella Swan. I'm Edward Cullen."

I followed suit and shook his hand in greeting. "It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Cullen."

He glanced at the name plate on my desk with a puzzled look on his face. Then, he turned to Miss Hale and asked to see her in his office, before abruptly walking back down the hallway.

She looked to me for a brief moment and followed after him. "I'll be right back out, Miss Swan. If the phone rings, you may answer it: 'Mr. Cullen's office', and then take a message. Either I, or Mr. Cullen will return the call."

"No problem," I responded before she was gone. _What the fuck is going on here?_

Mr. Cullen/Edward Cullen is Eddie Mason/lead singer and guitarist of Breaking Dawn? He pretended not to know me, and now I'm left alone in this enormous office with no idea what to do since I've only been working here for about three and a half hours. And apparently, the entire company's existence rests on this office doing it's job right. Before I could freak out any longer, the phone rang and brought me back to my job at hand.

"Edward Cullen's office. How may I help you? … I'm sorry but he isn't in at the moment. May I please take a message and have someone call you back momentarily?…

Okay, sure … Thank you, Mr. Johnson. Someone will be calling you back shortly. … No problem. Have a good day."

As I hung up the phone, I looked up and noticed a little girl and an older woman standing in the office smiling at me. _Oh, my god! I don't think anyone is suppose to be in here. Maybe they're just lost. But, even if they are, I can't help them. I'm probably more lost than they are!_

"Hi. Can I help you with something?" I tried to ask, just before the phone rang again. "Can you excuse me just a second?"

The woman just smiled and nodded while I answered the phone.

"Edward Cullen's office. How may I help you? … I'm sorry but he…wait a second. Did you say a conference call from Mr. Webber?…Yes, we will take the call. Please give me just a moment, and I will patch Mr. Cullen through…Thank you."

_Crap! It's the important call Mr. Cullen's been waiting for, and I have no idea what to do. I guess I have to disturb his meeting with Miss Hale, but what about these two strangers standing in the office too? Should I leave them alone out here?_

The woman must have sensed my inner monologue because she spoke up and brought me out of my ramblings. "Go ahead, dear. Do whatever you need to do. We'll be fine. I'm Edward's mother, and this is Bethany, his daughter."

_Okay, holy shit some more! But, I don't have time for this right now. There's an important conference on hold. I've got to get Edward_!

"Okay, please excuse me. I'll be right back!" I rushed down the hall and stopped just in front of the closed door. Before I could knock, I heard the muffled sounds of yelling. Trying to decide how to interrupt, I put my ear to the door in time to catch the end of Miss Hale's sentence.

"… but you can't get rid of her without cause; she could sue. Plus, I kind of like her, and I think she's doing a great job so far. Do you know she's almost mastered the conference charts, and she didn't even ask me one question on it?"

_Okay, so they're talking about me, but fuck it! This is an important call._

I knocked loudly on the door and then opened it without waiting for a response.

"What the hell are you doing barging in my office?" Edward shouted, while he scowled at me with an angry facial expression.

"I'm very sorry, sir, but Mr. Webber is waiting on the line with a conference call, and I heard you tell Miss Hale it was very important you receive his call," I rushed out an explanation.

"Shit! I'm sorry, Miss Swan. You were right to interrupt. Miss Hale, we can resume this later. Thank you, Miss Swan." Mr. Cullen went straight to his desk and picked up the phone before we were even out of his office.

I followed Miss Hale back to the front where Edward's mom and daughter were still waiting.

"Esme! I didn't know you were here. And look how pretty you look in that dress, Bethy," Miss Hale greeted the pair and picked up the little girl for a hug. Bethany squealed and giggled while she squirmed her way out of Miss Hale's arms and back down to the floor.

"How are you today, Rosalie?" Mrs. Cullen asked.

"Pretty frazzled, actually. It's been a crazy day around here so far," she answered, as she quickly looked towards me, then back to Mrs. Cullen.

"Well, I'm sure it'll get better. After all, it looks like you've got some good help around here now. This young lady was doing an excellent job when we arrived." _Thanks so much, Mrs. Cullen. I love you already!_

"Oh, yes. Miss Swan is really great!" Miss Hale quickly agreed.

I'm not sure if she really meant that or not, but at this point, I find it hard to care. I just want to go to lunch already. It's five past twelve_. Looks like Mr. Cullen isn't taking his lunch exactly at twelve today! I wonder if I still get to go, or do I have to wait for him to leave?_

"Are you my daddy's new worker?" the little girl asked, while she was tugging on the end of my dress.

"Umm, yes, I am. My name's Bella. It's nice to meet you!" I bent down and answered the sweet little girl.

"Belwa starts wiff a B. Your name tag doesn't start wiff a B. Are you sure that's your name?" _Oh, my god…she is soooo cute!_

"Well, my real name is Isabella. That's why my name tag starts with an 'I', but I like my friends to call me Bella for short." I have no idea if this tiny little thing understands anything I'm explaining, but I don't know how else to say it.

"Well, I think Izzybelwa is a perfect name. Do I have to call you Belwa to be your fwend?" little miss cute thing asked. _She can call me whatever she wants when she looks at me with that adorable little face. _She looks just like Edward, except her hair is more blonde with loose little curls, and not as messy. But, she's definitely his child with those vivid green eyes.

"No, Jellybean. You can call me whatever you want, and we can still be friends."

"I not a jellybean," she giggled. "I a Bethany. But my daddy calls me Bethy for short. But, they both start with a B, so it's okay."

"Well, do I have to call you Bethy to be friends, or can I just call you Jellybean?"

She laughed the cutest laugh I've ever heard, before she stopped to think about it. "Am I the only Jellybean you know? Cuz there's another Beth at my preschool, but I don't know any Jellybeans, so I guess you can call me that and still be fwends,."

"Yep! You're definitely the only Jellybean I know. So, nice to meet you, friend!"

She tugged and climbed up my dress until I picked her up to give her a hug. Right about then, is when Mr. Cullen walked in and looked at me with an expression I couldn't read. He looked a little bit confused, but also like maybe he was in pain or about to be sick. It's hard to say. This man changes colors more than a chameleon. I'm still not sure who he really is, but he's got the most adorable little girl in the world. As soon as she saw him, she wiggled out of my arms and jumped straight into his. And then, I saw it! The most breathtakingly beautiful smile in existence graced his face as his eyes lit up and filled with love and pure contentment. This is who he was - Bethany's daddy!

"Hey, Bethy! Are you ready to go to lunch?" he asked, as he squeezed her tight.

"Yes, Daddy!" she yelled, as she slid down his body and grabbed his hand to pull him towards the elevator door. I couldn't help but smile at the pair. They just radiated happiness.

"Oh, Miss Swan, you can go ahead and go to lunch too," he said on their way out.

"That's not Miss Swan, Daddy! That's Izzybelwa! You so funny, Daddy!"

Jellybean's dad looked back at me and smiled. "See you after lunch, Isabella."


	6. Ch6 Edward Cullen, The Boss

**Just a few author's notes before the chapter begins: **

**I'd like to thank everyone who has shown interest in my story. I'm new to this site, and I'm still learning how everything works. It took me a few days to learn how to respond to reviews, and I'm still not sure how to post author notes, so I'm just adding it to the beginning of my story text. **

**I've already written 37 chapters of this story, and will try to post a couple a day until it's caught up. I love getting reviews. It's fun to read everyone's responses and see where their train of though is headed after each chapter. I will try to answer all reviews, but in case I fall behind on that - just know that I greatly appreciate the feedback.**

**For all of those readers who dislike the early stages of Edward in this fic, you're right on target with your feelings. I promise, you will see Edward evolve through the story and fall in love with him. **

**Okay, I've kept you from the chapter long enough. I probably won't post any more author notes. Keep reading and reviewing, and I hope everyone enjoys the ride.**

Chapter 6 EPOV

My plans for a weekend in Vegas were a bust. Unfortunately, there was an emergency at work that pulled me into the office for most of the weekend. I received a call early Saturday morning from Mr. Webber, our mediator in Germany, who is facilitating our acquisition of the electronics company there. There had been an unexpected counteroffer from the company we're buying out, which was ridiculous considering they were about to go under and no other company had been willing to offer anything near what we were. So, most of my weekend was spent in useless negotiations between us and them. I was willing to concede a small amount of the compensation demands for the early retiring employees, but everything else outlined in the deal was withstanding. We finally reached an agreement Sunday morning, and Mr. Webber agreed to meet with their board of directors on Monday to finalize the deal. I was in the office early on Monday morning awaiting his call. When it was almost lunchtime, I was concerned I hadn't heard from him yet and made sure Rosalie knew it was priority. That's when I met our new office assistant, Isabella Swan. All I can say is life must be playing a cruel joke on me right now because Isabella Swan is my brown eyed Bella. The look on her face when Rosalie started to introduce us proved that she had no idea of who she was going to be working for either.

_Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I don't think I can handle working with Bella without ending up in a sexual harassment suit. The girl had single-handedly taken over my thoughts this past week!_

So, I called Rosalie into my office to try to find a solution to my problem. Bella just started this morning, so maybe we could find a different department to transfer her to by the end of the day.

"What the hell, Edward? What was all that about back there? You both looked like you'd seen a ghost. And since when am I ordered to an impromptu meeting in your office like this?" Rosalie was yelling for an explanation.

"Damn it, Rosalie. I can't work with that girl in there! We've got to find another department to transfer her to immediately." I started pacing in front of my desk while an angry looking Rosalie stood near the door with a confused look on her face.

"Explain!" was her only response.

"Remember the other night at New Moon? That was the journalist that showed up to talk to Jasper…"

"Oh my god! What? Do you think she's some kind of media spy sent to infiltrate The Cullen Corporation's breaking business deals as headline news?" Rosalie's eyes widened with her assumption.

"No, no, no. I hadn't even thought of that. The thing is…I met her at Twilight about a week before she showed up at Jasper's restaurant, and …well, basically I've already propositioned her with sex. I just don't think it's a good idea that we work that closely together. It's bound to cause complications somewhere down the road. Maybe we could have her reassigned somewhere in the foreign affairs research. That department probably pays about the same, right?"

Rose looked shocked for a second before she answered, "Edward, you know all the positions in that department require a degree in foreign studies. I doubt she has that…wait! Did you say propositioned her with sex? As in…she turned you down? Oh, my god! I knew I liked this girl for some reason! Edward, you can't fire the girl because she wouldn't sleep with you!"

"Shit, Rose! I don't want to fire her, just have her moved to somewhere else in the company. And, she didn't turn me down exactly…it's complicated. Shit!"

"Okay, so she didn't turn you down _exactly, _but apparently she didn't jump straight into your bed either, which is saying something. But, if nothing happened then there really isn't any reason to worry about it. You know no other position in the company pays as good as one of your assistants unless she's got a ton of corporate business experience, which I doubt because she wouldn't have applied for this job otherwise. I'm sure you can maintain professionalism with her working here, but you can't get rid of her without cause; she could sue. Plus, I kind of like her, and I think she's doing a great job so far. Do you know she's almost mastered the conference charts, and she didn't even ask me one question on it?"

Rosalie's speech was interrupted by a loud knock on the door, followed by the entrance of our topic of conversation herself. I practically cussed her out for the interruption until I realized she had Mr. Webber on the line. She was actually paying attention when I told Rosalie how important this call was. She probably saved my ass with the interruption, to be honest. _I'll have to properly apologize later. Right now, I need to take this call. _I dismissed them both while I got on the phone.

After I finished up the conference call with Mr. Webber and the German electronics company we now own, I was in a much better mood and ready to go to lunch with two of my favorite girls. _Shit, it's ten after twelve. They're probably already here and waiting for me._

I can't even describe all of the feelings that ran through me when I stepped into the front of the office and saw my baby girl in the arms of Bella, smiling and giggling with ease. At first I felt happy to see my little girl looking so content, but then I felt regret that she didn't have a mother around to hold her like that all the time. The next thing I felt was similar to fear. Fear of what, I'm not sure. Maybe I was afraid Bella would somehow hurt Bethy. The main reason I don't date or bring women home is specifically because I don't want to put Bethy through countless introductions where she could potentially get attached to someone and then hurt when things didn't work out. Maybe there was also some fear of my own feelings towards Bella. She was exactly the kind of girl I would definitely want to spend time getting to know and possible share my life with, but that's not going to work. First of all, I don't date and can't put Bethy through that. Secondly, I don't even think Bella would be interested in anything that serious. She's a young girl with a bright future ahead of her. I'm sure she doesn't want to get involved in any of my fucked up situations. And now that she actually works for me, there can absolutely be nothing more than a professional relationship with her. And lastly, after what happened with Tanya, I don't think I could ever trust any woman enough to open up my life to them.

So, I pushed all other thoughts to the back of my mind and rushed off to lunch with my daughter and my mom.

After lunch I was in and out of conference rooms for the rest of the afternoon. Rosalie buzzed me in my office once to invite me to dinner at her and Emmett's place tonight, and I accepted knowing that Rosalie and I would be finishing our conversation from earlier. Only now, I wasn't so sure I wanted Bella transferred to another department. _God, I am so fucked!_

I avoided contact with Bella as much as possible when working with one of my own assistants. Before I left for the day, I decided I needed to straighten some things out with Bella to protect our new working situation. So, I buzzed Rosalie and asked her to send Bella back to my office.

When she walked in the door, she looked a little nervous, so I tried to ease her mind by starting out with an apology for my earlier outburst.

"Bella, uh …Miss Swan, I'd like to start out by apologizing for my outburst earlier. It was totally uncalled for, and you actually did the right thing in making sure I got that phone call. It really was important, so I'm sorry for being rude…and thank you for doing a good job."

"Well, that's what I'm here for, Mr. Cullen. And I accept your apology. I understand things can get quite stressful around here." _She's so perfect - extremely polite and professional. And damn it, she looks so beautiful sitting in front of my desk with that dress on and her legs crossed with those sexy heels she's wearing. Fuck…I need to divert my attention immediately, before I bust out of my pants!_

"I appreciate your understanding. I also wanted to clear up a few other things to make our working relationship a bit more comfortable. Let me make sure you understand. I have very different standards for the different aspects of my life. I try not to let my personal, professional, public, or family life intersect each other at all. Obviously, I didn't know you would be working here the other times we've met; I would not have attempted to flirt with you if I had. So, if we could please disregard our previous encounters, I assure you we can maintain a perfectly professional relationship. Which also means that I do expect you to keep any knowledge of my personal life to yourself. Not many people know about my band activities. We're not all that popular, and we all really just do it for fun - kind of a reprieve from real life. Also, I try to keep my family, especially my daughter, secluded from public speculation. There are also times when my public appearance may contradict some things you learn to be true about me. I'm sure I really don't need to explain all of this to you. You're an intelligent woman, and I'm sure, professionally, you can use your best judgment as how to handle all things discreetly. I'm also sorry if anything that happened so far has made you uncomfortable in any way. I don't want you to have to worry being in any awkward situations around the office."

Bella sat patiently waiting for me to end my speech before she politely responded.

"Wow. Mr. Cullen, I honestly do appreciate your efforts in making things less awkward here. I do know that you had no idea of either job I had when we met, and I don't hold any uncomfortable feelings towards you for it. Honestly, I don't. As far as everything else goes, I do understand how to maintain the proper and professional behavior required in addressing any type of situation - business, personal, public, and familial. Please don't worry about that. I'm sure we won't have any problems with my job here. I'll do the best that I can to fulfill my office duties, and when my workday ends, I go home to my own life as well. I know how to compartmentalize." _Again, perfect! Why couldn't I have met this girl five years ago?_

"I'm sure you will do an excellent job here, and I have no doubt about your professionalism. But, can I just ask you one question?" She nodded 'yes', so I continued. "What happened to your journalism job? Do you not still work at the _Times_?"

"Oh, umm…yes. I still work there, but it's very part time and only temporary. I only review one establishment a week, so really it's more like a hobby than a job. It won't interfere with my work here, if that's what you're concerned about."

I gave her a light smile. She really is cute. She's so tough corporate exec one minute and then shy schoolgirl the next. "No, not at all, Miss Swan. I suppose I was just curious. Well, thanks for your time today. I'll let you get back to your work. And I really am glad to have you on board here. You're doing a great job so far."

"Thank you, Mr. Cullen. I think I'll enjoy working here, and I'll let you get back to your work as well," she said before walking back to her desk.

I know I promised to be professional but, shit - every time she calls me Mr. Cullen I feel my dick straining for release. This is going to be a very long week…or month…or year…or life - however long she's here for.


	7. Ch7 Confusion BPOV and EPOV

Chapter 7

BPOV

As soon as the elevator doors closed, I was more than ready to take my lunch break. My stomach was screaming for food, but more than that, my head was screaming for rest. I really just wanted to go somewhere quiet and clear my mind.

"I guess I'll be taking my break now. I'll see you after lunch, Miss Hale."

Without looking up from her computer, she simply said, "I'll be here."

I used the same private elevator Mr. Cullen and his family had left in. When it landed on the main floor, I took note of the location, so I could find it when I returned. I noticed the other elevators were silver or metal looking, and this elevator had a dark cherry wood finish. So, I guess that makes it easier to distinguish from the others.

I didn't really know what places were nearby or convenient for lunch, so I, again, went to the nice lady at the front desk. She informed me that there was a cafeteria in the building on the third floor and a nice deli right around the block. There were other restaurants nearby, but they were more of a dine-in type.

Even though I was fifteen minutes late going to lunch, I assumed I still needed to be back by one. So, I decided to grab a sandwich at the deli and sit in my car to eat. I didn't really feel like being around a crowd of people right now, and the time alone would help clear my head. I grabbed a ham and cheese and a bottle of water. The sun warmed the inside of my car while I laid my seat back and tried to relax a bit. There was so much shit rolling around inside my head that I decided not to think about any of it until I got home tonight. I probably needed Alice to help me figure some of this shit out.

I got back upstairs about ten minutes early, so I went straight to the task of setting up the conference rooms for the afternoon meetings. The rest of the afternoon followed in about the same fashion. I was busied with arranging the required materials for several more meetings, and I only saw Mr. Cullen briefly, in passing, while I worked. Near the end of the day, I was organizing some files at my desk when Miss Hale notified me that Mr. Cullen had requested me in his office. Thinking back on part of the conversation I heard between him and Miss Hale earlier, I really hoped it wasn't anything bad…like loosing my job.

I sat across from Mr. Cullen, in front of his desk, while he surprised me by apologizing for being a dick earlier. Okay, maybe those weren't his exact words, but same thing. After I accepted his apology, he started in on some long speech about the different aspects of his life and professionalism, and maybe some other shit. I wasn't really paying too much attention to his exact words, but I caught the main points, I think. Actually, I was too busy staring at his fucking beautiful face. Hopefully, I at least looked like I was paying attention instead of eye fucking him. I saw his mouth moving and his eyes looked sincere, but all I could think about was me laying naked across his desk with his delicious looking mouth all over my body. _Shit, Swan, pay attention! This is probably important. And I'm sure he'll probably want you to respond at some point._ Damn, he looked so hot dressed in his expensive ass business suit and radiating authority. _I wonder if he's into a little bit of S&M. I bet he'd be fuckawesome at controlling a girl. Oh, shit, it looks like it's my turn to speak. Okay, time to be professional._

I gave the best response I could drum up, and it seemed to appease him. He asked about my job at the _Times_, so I gave him an honest answer. Then sadly, our time was up, and he sent me back to the front office.

Miss Hale watched me settle myself back at my desk. I could tell she was wondering what had happened in his office. I wondered if they had some sort of thing going on between them. The way they were speaking to each other in his office earlier; it was obvious they had more than just a professional relationship. And she was sitting with him at Jasper's restaurant the other night. She also seemed pretty close with his family earlier, but I'm sure Jellybean could wrap anyone around her little finger pretty easily. _Well, I guess none of this is really any of my business anyway. I should just stop worrying about it. _My thoughts were quickly interrupted by his velvet voice as he was leaving.

"Good evening, Miss Hale, Miss Swan. I'll see you tomorrow."

Miss Hale and I simultaneously replied, "Good evening, Mr. Cullen!"

Since it was five o'clock, Miss Hale and I also gathered our things to leave. We rode the elevator down together and said goodbye as we exited the building.

I walked through the door to our apartment and was greeted with the smell of marinara sauce and garlic. Alice was in the kitchen cooking spaghetti and garlic bread. The table was already set with salad and wine glasses.

"Hey, Ali. Are you expecting company?"

"No, silly. I got home before you and decided to make us a nice dinner and have some wine to celebrate your first day of work. How was it?"

I groaned, taking the bottle of wine she just opened, and poured some in our glasses. "You have no idea of the kind of day I had. It'll probably take longer than dinner and more than one bottle of wine to finish telling you about it."

"Awe, sit down and tell me all about it. Dinner's ready, and we have more wine in the fridge if we need it." Alice really seemed concerned, and that's why she's my best friend and I love her. I told her every detail I could think of, and I figured I even needed to fill her in on the missing parts from my story about our night at New Moon. She looked just as freaked out as I felt.

"Holy shit, Bella! How do you manage to get yourself into these kinds of situations?"

"I have no idea, Ali. It's all so confusing though. I mean, I have this undeniable attraction to the man, but it really is not the smartest thing I should be thinking about right now. The man is way too complex. I saw him playing the rockstar, screwing around with two women at the same time. I think he may be fucking his assistant. He's the CEO of a multi billion dollar company. He has a daughter. I don't know if there's a wife. He doesn't wear a ring and hasn't mentioned her, but who knows? And, he's just dangerously too sexy for his own good."

Alice nodded her head in response. "I hear what you're saying. It must really suck to be you. I wish I had some great words of wisdom to make it all better, but shit! I guess the only thing you can do is find some other hot stud to fixate on. I could set you up with a guy or two from work if you want. One of our photographers is really hot!"

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but sure, Ali. Set me up with the hot photographer!"

Alice jumped up and down in her seat and said she would talk to him tomorrow. I figured anything was worth a try to take my mind off my current state of affairs.

"What kind of business does The Cullen Corporation do anyway?" Alice asked.

"Umm…they buy and sell other businesses, invest in some, and assist in mergers. I don't really know specifics, just that it's a huge business. A ton of people work there, and it seems like everyone is busy all the time. Even my job doesn't have much down time."

We cleaned up the dishes and the kitchen, and both went to our separate rooms to get some work done. I logged on to my _New York Times _email account and found out that my next assignment was a children's art and science museum. That should be pretty easy. It would probably be better if I had some kid to take with me, but I can probably just hang around and talk to some of the kids there to get their opinion of it. Looks like my Saturday has just been planned out for me.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

EPOV

I felt a little better about the situation with Bella after our talk in my office. It didn't change the fact that my mind constantly conjured up a shit ton of dirty images every time I looked at her, but I think we cleared the air and at least have a chance of a professional working relationship.

I stopped by Mom's and picked up Bethy before I headed over to Rose and Emmett's place for dinner. Emmett and I had a couple beers while he grilled up some delicious steaks outside, and Rose and Bethy played catch in the back yard with Brewster, their Black Lab. We ate dinner out on the patio. Afterward, Rose and Bethy went inside to watch _Cinderella_, Bethy's favorite Disney movie.

"So, Rosie told me about your little situation at work…" Emmett hinted towards the conversation I really didn't feel like having anymore.

"I don't think it's really going to be an issue anymore. We had a meeting in my office before she left today, and it seems like working together won't be a problem." I gave the best answer I could in hopes to end the conversation there, but I should have known better.

"Rose said she was the girl we met at Twilight and New Moon. The reporter chick with the hot ass? I don't know, man. I know you're good at keeping work and play separate, but you might have a hard time keeping your dick in your pants with that one."

"God, Emmett! You act like I'm some horny teenager that wants to fuck every pretty girl around. You know I would never let anything compromise my work ethic."

"That's not exactly what I meant. Although, I do know there's no lack of female participants in your sex life, but you've never really worried yourself over a particular one before. And I absolutely do know you've never had a problem maintaining your professionalism before. That's why, when Rosie told me how worked up you got over this Isabella Swan, I knew she must have had one hell of an effect on you!…I'm just sayin', bro."

Emmett really did know me too well. "Alright, you got me. There's something about this girl that pulls me in, but you know I don't date. And I'm not about to cross the line with someone who works for me, so it's really a moot point."

Emmett raised an eyebrow at my comment and waited for more.

"What do you want me to say, Em? You've seen the girl. She's got a body that's made for sin with the face of an angel. And she's really smart…and sweet. You should have seen her with Bethy earlier today. According to Bethy, they're already best friends. And Bella's already got a nickname for her…jellybean or something."

His eyes got huge. "Shit man! It's worse than I thought. Dude, you're totally fucked! You really like this girl."

I just shrugged my shoulders. "Like I said, moot point."

Just then, Rose walked out carrying a too sleepy Bethy. "She's too tired to stay awake, even for _Cinderella_," Rose laughed.

I took my little girl from her arms. "Come on, Bethy, baby. Let's get you home."

I said goodnight to Rosalie and Emmett, and drove home with Bethy asleep in her car seat. I managed to carry her up to her room and change her into her Disney Princess nightgown without waking her. I tucked her under the covers and brushed her hair out of her face before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight, my baby. Sweet dreams," I whispered, as I headed off to my own bed.

The next morning, I woke up with a raging hard on and covered in sweat from a very naughty Bella dream. _Okay, so if I can't have her in real life, I guess this is the next best thing._ I jumped in the shower and took care of my morning wood, got dressed for the day, and made breakfast before I woke Bethy up. We ate together; then, I dropped her off at Mom's on the way to work.

I'm so lucky for all my mom's help with Bethy. She takes her to preschool for me every morning, so she can be around other kids some, and picks her up everyday until I get off work. She's also more than willing to watch her for me whenever I have plans on the weekends and loves it anytime they get to have overnighters. _I love my mom._

I guess I'm lucky to have both my parents. If it wasn't for my dad, I probably wouldn't have the great job I've got. Dad built the successful company we have from scratch, using the inheritance money he got when his parents died. And he made sure Emmett and I both went to college to get the education we needed to make it in life, even though we both wanted to be rock stars. He told us he would support whatever avenue we pursued as long as we had the proper education to back us up. I knew he always hoped we would join the family business, but it wasn't until Bethy was born that I took it seriously.

I was halfway through my senior year in college and living in a shitty apartment with Tanya when she was born. As soon as I graduated, I knew I wanted better for my daughter and went to work for my dad right away. It took Emmett a couple more years before he followed suit. He was still trying to follow that rock star dream with some other band before he gave in. Then, he convinced Jasper and I to start up Breaking Dawn with him, just for some fun and to keep from falling completely into a boring corporate lifestyle. So far, it's working out great.

The rest of the week at work was pretty uneventful. I didn't really interact with Bella much at all, aside from noticing the sexy business dresses she wore all week. I did, however, remember to read her article in Wednesday's paper. The girl really does have some talent as a writer. I wonder why she's working as an office assistant instead of something more conductive of writing. She said her job at the paper was more like a hobby, but she should really reconsider her career path.

Surprisingly, Rose never brought up the subject of our unfinished conversation concerning Bella. I guess she decided to just let it drop, for which I was grateful.

I did arrange for that trip to Vegas with Jasper for the coming weekend. He was happy to get out of town himself, although he had recently started seeing this girl named Maria and wanted to invite her and her friend, Stacey, to come along on our trip. I was actually hoping for more of a guys night out on the town without involving girls. But, it was just for one night, so I agreed. We took the company jet Saturday morning and flew back Sunday afternoon. We all had a good time. I came home minus about ten thousand dollars, but that's Vegas.

Stacey was a really nice girl. She wasn't super model gorgeous, but she was really pretty. I actually preferred the everyday kind of pretty as opposed to the fake Hollywood pretty. All four of us enjoyed the day roaming around on Saturday. We took the girls to lunch and bought them a few dresses from one of the ritzy shops on the strip and had a nice dinner. Then, we all hit the casinos that night and got sloppy drunk.

Stacey and I actually did end up having sex that night, but it was kind of weird. It wasn't passionate or wild and crazy. It was more like two friends just screwing around. But, I was glad there was no cuddling afterward, or waking up in each others arms the next morning. Even though we slept in the same bed, we both kind of kept to our own side. Of course, I don't date, and she wasn't really the type of girl I'd want to go out with again, but I wouldn't mind hanging out with her as part of a group of friends. And even that wasn't something I was use to feeling.

Sunday, after Jasper and I dropped off the girls, he joined me for the weekly family dinner at Mom and Dad's. After dinner, I went home with Bethy and we curled up on the couch together to watch _The Little Mermaid _before bath time and bed. That night I had more dreams about Bella. They were still sexy as hell, but something was different about them. Something….sweeter maybe?


	8. Ch8 Bella's Week

**Author's Note:**

**Warning: This story does contain several sexual scenes, beginning in dream form at the end of this chapter. They're not the main focus, but they are scattered throughout. Just wanted to give a head's up so you know to expect them.**

**Also, the chapters do get lengthier as the story gets more involved. We're still in the introductory period, figuring things out as the characters develop.**

**Thanks to everyone who is reading and reviewing. Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 8 BPOV

The rest of the week at work was pretty much filing, organizing, and setting up the conference rooms. I didn't really see Edward much except in passing a few times. I guess keeping things professional around here won't be much of a problem after all, but I couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. Maybe if I didn't work here, I could run into him at the club again and find out if he can actually live up to my dreams or not.

I decided to eat in the company cafeteria the rest of the week. It was just easier than going out for lunch. Plus, I was starting to meet a few new people. On Wednesday, a girl named Jessica joined me for lunch at my table. She was pretty nice and full of company gossip. I've never been one to pay much attention to rumors, but it provided me with a little lunch time entertainment.

"Hey, I'm Jessica. I saw you getting off the Cullen private elevator. Which one do you work for?"

"Oh, umm…Edward Cullen?" I don't know why it came out like a question. I guess because he was the only Cullen I knew so far.

"Ah, so you're the one that replaced Merrideth! How do you like it so far?"

"It's pretty good I guess. Who is Merrideth?"

The Jessica girl seemed to get excited to be able to dish out some gossip to the new girl. "Oh, she was Edward's old second assistant. She didn't last very long. She was totally trying to seduce him and got transferred to another department right away. You should have seen her. Always dressing a bit provocative and openly throwing out sexual innuendo. Not that he's not completely 'f-u-c-k-able', but I just can't believe she had the nerve to act like that. Everyone knows Edward doesn't even date."

I really didn't know how to respond to that, but luckily I didn't have to. Jessica continued rambling on about several secret office romances, a few stories about people who had gotten fired for stealing confidential information, and dished on some of the hot single coworkers.

On Friday, I was setting up for the early morning board meeting and bumped into Emmett. I mean, literally bumped into him. The stack of memos and pens I was carrying flew all over the floor as I landed on my ass in the doorway. Emmett helped me to my feet, apologizing and helping me gather the papers and pens. I was surprised again when he introduced himself as Emmett Cullen, the other son and CEO. He was still just as friendly and laid back as he was the night I met him at the club.

After work, I went home and got ready for my blind date Alice had orchestrated with the hot photographer from her work. His name was Jacob Black, and we were just going to a casual late dinner to get to know each other. I really wanted to wear my jeans and a t-shirt, but Alice insisted I had to dress up at least a little. So, I settled for a nice, off the shoulder, sweater dress with black leggings and black ballet flats.

Jacob picked me up, right on time, at seven thirty. Alice was right; he was totally hot, but he seemed a little arrogant - and not in a sexy kind of way, but more of an annoying kind of way. He wore an expensive suit, and showed up in a bright red Ferrari. Apparently, that was his everyday car, and it was either that or his motorcycle. I actually would have preferred him in a pair of jeans on a motorcycle, but I guess he was trying to impress me.

Dinner was nice. We went to a quaint restaurant near the harbor. It wasn't too fancy, so I liked it a lot. After we talked for a while, I realized he was a pretty nice guy and easy to get along with. He was still a little cocky, but in a more joking kind of way. We took a walk along the pier after dinner and decided to go out again next Friday, but maybe with a few other friends to a club or something. He walked me to my door when we got back, and I could tell he wanted to kiss me goodnight, but I rushed inside before he had a chance.

Saturday I tossed my hair up in a messy bun; threw on a pair of jeans, a nice sweater, my black flats, and headed to the children's museum for some 'kiddie-fun'.

About ten minutes after I arrived, I was looking at the lively art samples in the main hall when I heard a sweet little voice screaming my name.

"Izzybelwa! Izzybelwa! Is that you? It's me, Bethy! What are you doing here?"

I turned around to see the energetic little munchkin bouncing towards me with her grandmother on her heels. "Hey, Jellybean! What are you doing here today?"

"Me and Nana came to pway at the zeum. Are you here to pway too?" She was too cute. She was wearing a pink long sleeve shirt under a pair of denim overalls and tiny little light up Barbie tennis shoes.

"Well, sort of. I have to write a story about how much fun this place is, for my other job. Maybe I could play with you a little, while you're here, and we could find out which things are the most fun together. That is, if your Nana doesn't mind." I turned to shake Mrs. Cullen's hand and introduced myself to her again, "It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Cullen. I don't know if you remember me from the office or not, but I'm Isabella Swan. I work for your son."

"Yes, of course, dear. I remember, but please call me Esme. I've never been one for formalities, even in the business place. We'd be happy for you to tag along with us today. My son told me about your other job with the _Times_. It sounds like a lot of fun. I've read your articles and they really are great. You're very talented, dear."

"Well, thank you…uh…Esme. That's very kind."

So, I tagged along with Jellybean and her grandma for the next few hours, and she nearly wore me out. We painted some pictures with finger paint, watched a couple little film clips, made a mess with some tissue paper and glue, and raced through a colors and shapes maze. In the science section we made some homemade slime, played with magnets, raced some solar powered remote control cars, and watched a couple experiments performed by the experts at the museum. It was a lot more fun than the nightclub or restaurant assignments.

After we were done, Jellybean asked, "Did you do 'nuff fun stuff for your story?"

"I definitely did plenty of fun stuff for my story. Thanks for helping me!"

Then, Esme asked me if I wanted to join them for lunch before they headed home. I really wanted to, but somehow I felt like I had already intruded in their life enough today.

"I'd really love to, Esme, but I'd hate to intrude. And I get the feeling that Mr. Cullen doesn't really like his personal life and business to mix. So, I'd hate to do anything to upset his order of things."

Jellybean jumped up and down with a little pout on her face. "Pwease, pwease, Izzybelwa! I want to have some more fun wif you."

"Nonsense, dear. You're not at the office right now, and I invited you, so it's no intrusion at all. Edward's in Los Vegas with some friends this weekend; he won't even know anyway. Right, Bethany? We can tell Daddy we saw Isabella at the museum, but lunch will be our little secret, okay?" Esme wasn't making it easy for me to say no.

There was no way I could refuse such a genuine invitation, or the pouting bottom lip on Jellybean, so we walked a couple blocks to Rainforest Café and had lunch together. Jellybean ordered the chicken tender kid's meal and made sure the waitress knew to bring plenty of the 'special sauce' to dip it in. The waitress looked to me for clarification on which special sauce Jellybean wanted. Esme spoke up and clarified it was the honey mustard, before issuing a sweet smile and a wink in my direction. Then, she ordered herself a chicken Caesar salad and asked me what I wanted. I opted for the same thing.

Jellybean talked non stop about all the things we saw at the museum and about the Cinderella costume her daddy bought her for Halloween, until her food arrived. She must have been starving, because once the plate of chicken and fries was in front of her, she immediately started dipping and eating - forgoing conversation for the rest of the meal.

Esme and I shared pleasant talk about my writing assignments and her charity work. She filled me in on a few of the organizations she liked to help out with; most of which involved children. She also added how much she enjoyed being a stay at home mom while her kids were growing up, and now a doting grandmother. She was so warm and caring; I couldn't help but enjoy her company. She was so easy to talk to, I felt like I'd known her forever.

When the waitress showed up with the check, Esme passed it back to her, along with her credit card. I immediately objected to her covering my meal, as I started digging through my own purse for some loose bills. She started to insist on buying my lunch, but reluctantly gave in when I begged her to take my money. I didn't want to offend her; I just didn't feel right letting her pay. Although, I was sure she had more than enough money, considering her husband owns the multi billion dollar company I work for, but I preferred being able to take care of my own bills.

The three of us walked back towards the museum together. I gave Esme and Jellybean both a hug goodbye and thanked them for sharing their day with me, before parting ways to find our respective cars.

I wrote my article when I got home and printed off a copy to drop off Monday on my lunch break.

Alice and I talked about my date with Jacob a little bit before I went to bed. She agreed to snagging a date for herself and inviting another couple from work for a group date at the Twilight club next Friday.

Again, I had a pretty easy week at work. Monday, I spent my lunch hour at the newspaper and got my new assignment, which was at a mystery dinner theater. Miss Hale and I had some time to chat a little during the week when it wasn't so busy. She finally started being a little friendlier to me and told me to call her Rosalie instead of Miss Hale. I found out she was engaged to Emmett, and they had a house together just outside the city. So, I guess she isn't one of _Eddie's_ bimbos after all. She told me how Jellybean couldn't stop talking about all the fun we had at the museum. And that she enjoyed reading my articles in the newspaper.

Every night I still had 'Edward induced' sex dreams and they were beginning to get more and more kinky. Some of them involved different scenarios of hot office sex. Others involved sex in public places. And one night, I dreamt of being tied to his bed while he teased me mercilessly.

_I was lying on my back in the center of the bed, wearing nothing but my black lace underwear. My wrists were bound together and tied to the headboard, and my legs were spread apart with my ankles tied to the bottom bedposts using red silk scarves. Edward stalked towards me, wearing just his faded ripped up jeans, no shirt, and bare feet. The muscles in his upper body were smooth, tight, and defined. He sat on the edge of the bed, by my side, and ran a trail lightly across my skin with his fingertips - from the hollow of my neck, between my heaving breasts, and down to my belly button. His piercing green eyes locked with mine, and all I could see in the depths of them was lust and desire. _

"_I finally have you where I want you," he spoke in a low and confident voice. "Tell me, what should I do with you now?" I couldn't respond, locked in his hypnotic stare. _

"_Tell me," he demanded with more authority. _

"_Anything you want," was my only response. _

_His eyes lit with a dangerous passion, the beginning of a smile appearing on his lips. He ran his fingers up my right side and along the inside of my arm to my bound wrists. He tightened the red scarf slightly, to make sure it was secure, and then, he leaned over and ran his tongue down my neck, stopping at my collarbone where he placed a light bite. One hand clutched the hair at the back of my neck while the other one brushed softly beneath each breast. He leaned in and blew a light breath across my ear as he spoke, "You might not want to know all the things I've been dreaming of doing with your beautiful body…I can't take you completely the way I want to…but I will enjoy parts of you for now." He grasped the outside of my lace panties and ripped them off with one jerk. I sucked in a deep breath, and he brushed two fingers across my bottom lip. He held them to my mouth and whispered, "Kiss them." _

_I placed a soft kiss against his fingers. He pulled them away, then slid them across the bare skin from the top to the bottom of my pussy. He gave a deep growl when his fingers hit the puddle of warm juices between my legs. "God, you're amazingly wet for me already. I think I need to have a taste." He slid his fingers inside me briefly and lifted them to his mouth. His long tongue slid across his fingers once before they were completely enveloped in his mouth. He closed his eyes as he tasted, and then, quickly positioned himself between my legs and dove onto my throbbing parts with his mouth. His tongue swirled around my clit as he sucked and nibbled frantically. A scream caught in my throat and turned into a series of moans. He looked up at me with hooded eyes as he continued to lick slowly up and down my slit. I tried to raise my hips to grind into his mouth, dying for release. He wrapped one arm under my leg and across my hips to hold me down. "Not yet," he ordered. _

_I begged and begged for release, in between panting breaths. "Please, please… I need to… come…I can't …please…" _

_He slid two fingers inside of me and started pumping them in and out while he bit down on my clit. My body started writhing with need, and he moved up my body placing light bites as his mouth traveled closer to my breasts. He placed another bite on the underside of my left breast before ending at licking and sucking on my hardened nipple. I could feel his huge, rock hard cock pressing against the top of my thigh through his jeans. His fingers continued to move expertly inside of me. His mouth paused long enough to speak one word, "Now." He bit down hard on my nipple as I came undone - screaming, panting, and my body convulsing._

I woke up covered in sweat and out of breath. The next day at work, I couldn't look at him without blushing. And for some reason, I stopped calling him Mr, Cullen and started responded with "yes, Sir."


	9. Ch9 Body Shots

Chapter 9 BPOV

Alice took complete control over our Friday night outing. She didn't have a date, but said she didn't need one. She had invited three girls from work, a couple of guys, and, of course, me and Jacob. The club she picked was called The Spin, and it was a dance club that only played vinyl records and served unlimited appetizers as part of the cover charge. Unlike Twilight, it was only one level and had only one bar, but plenty of wait staff that came around to all the tables consistently. Everyone was set to meet there at nine. Alice was also in charge of my wardrobe, which made me a little nervous. As soon as we both got home from work, we started getting ready.

The dress Alice handed me was not something I would have ever picked out for myself, but once I had it on, I had to admit it was way hot. It was dark blue and skin tight with dainty spaghetti straps, and cut so low in the back it hit just above my ass. The bottom of the dress landed about mid thigh. She accessorized it with several different silver bangle bracelets, silver dangle earrings, and a loose, silver, belly chain style belt. The shoes were sandal style with small heels and thin straps that crisscrossed and tied around the ankle. She pinned up most of my hair in a half twist leaving the ends and several long strands in the back hanging down in small spiraled curls. She applied very light make-up; just a hint of blush, light glossy lip stain, smoky eye shadow and black mascara and eyeliner. Then, a light dusting of body shimmer powder was added to my arms, shoulders, chest, and exposed back. _And shit_ - _if I was bisexual I would be all over myself right now! _Alice dressed equally shameless in a deep red, off the shoulder, clingy mini dress with a thick, black belt, wide black cuff bracelet, black hoop earrings, and black stiletto pumps.

We arrived at the club right on time and spotted Jacob getting out of his Ferrari, so we waited for him on the sidewalk. His jaw almost hit the ground when he spotted us.

"Damn, you girls look fine! I think I might need backup to fight off all the men all night," he said with the shake of his head.

"Thanks, Jacob. You look pretty good yourself there," I replied. He was wearing black dress pants and shoes, and a dark grey dress shirt. _At least he wasn't wearing a suit again._

Before we walked in the door, Alice spotted a couple of her other friends. "Oh, hey, there's Dan and Eric!" She waved them over and introduced us.

Jacob paid the cover charge for me, Alice, and himself. We went inside, and Alice dragged us over to the corner of the dance floor where her other three friends were already partying. "Bella, this is Janice, Samantha, and Leah. Girls, this is my best friend and roommate, Bella."

The place was pretty packed. We looked for a table large enough for all of us to sit together, but the only spot available was a table for four beside a huge, already occupied, circular booth in the corner.

"Come on, guys! That's the only table, right over there. We probably won't all be sitting at the same time anyway," Alice instructed. We all followed Alice's lead to sit our stuff down at the empty table when I noticed the two guys sitting at the huge booth beside us.

"Oh, my god! Jasper, Emmett! I can't believe I keep running in to you guys everywhere." The rest of their friends must have been out on the dance floor. Surely, they weren't taking up this large booth just for the two of them. Then it dawned on me…_I hope Edward isn't here with them too. This could get kind of awkward_. Alice's coworkers had already headed back to the dance floor. Alice and Jacob moved closer beside me, and I quickly made some introductions. "You guys remember Alice from Twilight, and this is my friend Jacob."

Jasper stood up and shook hands with Jacob, then Alice. "Nice to meet you…And how could we forget Alice? How've you been?"

Jacob just nodded in greeting, and Alice giggled before answering, "I've been great. How are you guys?"

Emmett stayed seated, but joined in the conversation. He nodded toward Jacob, "Sup, man?" and yelled out to Ali, "Good to see you again pipsqueak!" He took in my appearance quickly and added, "Damn, Bella! You're smoking hot tonight!"

Jasper and I laughed at Emmett's loud comment, and he motioned for us to sit down. "We're just here with a few friends. Have a seat, there's plenty of room."

I didn't know which friends they were here with, but I felt a little uncomfortable joining them. Emmett's my boss' brother and Jasper is his best friend. Before I could decline, Alice was scooting into the booth and answering for us.

"Thanks, guys. We're here with some other friends too, but there's not enough room at our table for all of us, so if you don't mind…"

"Not at all, Alice. Have a seat, Bella." Jasper answered. But before I could sit down, I was blindsided by a tight hug. Rosalie slammed into me so hard she almost knocked me down.

"Holy fuckin' hell, Bella! You look like one hot bitch tonight!" Clearly, Rosalie was a little drunk already. She was so much different from the reserved, professional Rosalie at the office.

"Thanks, Rosalie…uh…you too." Then, I looked behind her and saw Edward and three other girls. He just nodded to me and glared at Jacob. _Weird. _More introductions were made, and Alice hopped up to let Rosalie slide in next to Emmett before she sat back down again. Me and Jacob slid in beside Alice, and the others joined the other side by Jasper.

The waitress came by, and Alice ordered shots of tequila for everyone before Emmett cut in, "No, no. Just bring some glasses and the whole bottle…Oh, and uh…can we get some more hot wings too?"

Conversations picked up all around the table. The only ones not really saying much were me and Edward. The waitress returned with our order and a bowl of sliced limes. Emmett reached for the bottle and started pouring shots. "Okay, there's only one rule. After the first shot, if you want more, it has to be done in the form of a body shot off of someone from this table." _Shit, I think I really need to get drunk right now, but this could get uncomfortable._

Everyone slammed down their first shot without salt or lime. Then, Alice handed me a shot glass, filled it with tequila, grabbed the back of my hair, pulled my head back, squeezed some lime at the bottom of my neck, sprinkled salt on it, and licked it off. Then, she took the shot glass out of my hand with her mouth and downed the shot.

Everyone at the table was stunned until Emmett roared with laughter, and Rosalie piped in too, "Damn girl! I like your style!" Everyone else joined in laughter, and I just shook my head in shock.

"I'm next!" Rosalie shouted. She placed the shot in Emmett's crotch and put the lime between his teeth. She swiped her tongue across his throat, sprinkled it with salt, and licked it off. She grabbed the shot between his legs with her teeth and ended by sucking the lime from his mouth.

"That's it baby! You know what I like. Who's next?" Emmett challenged.

Jacob chuckled and reached for a lime. I kind of tensed up because we really didn't know each other that well yet, and I was afraid he was going to try to outdo everyone else. But instead, he placed the glass in one of my hands and the lime in the other. Then he tilted the hand holding the glass slightly, so he could slowly lick the inside of my wrist before sprinkling salt on it. Next he sucked the salt off like a kiss and took the glass in his mouth. After dropping the glass back on the table, he raise my other hand to his mouth and took the lime out of my hand with his teeth. Alice awed, Jasper nodded in approval, and Edward…smirked? And I blushed. Even though it was simple, it was really sweet that he respected me enough not to take advantage of the situation. It made me like him even more for that.

Emmett picked up a shot glass and held it to Rosalie's lips. "Alright babe, this is the one time I'm gonna tell you not to swallow," he laughed before tipping the drink to her mouth. She took the liquid in and held it in her mouth while Emmett tucked a lime between her cleavage and sprinkled salt across her neck while licking it up. He pulled her mouth to his, and she parted her lips enough to slowly spill the tequila into his mouth before he dove between her breast to retrieve the lime. Everyone at the table clapped and cheered after their performance. "Bella, you're up next!" Emmett shouted.

_Crap. I really didn't want to be licking on Jacob for the first time in front of everyone… and Alice did use me for her shot…fuck it! _I picked up the shot glass and tucked it under the low neckline of her dress, between her boobs. She raised an eyebrow at me and smiled. I put the lime between her lips backwards, and dipped my finger in the shot glass to spread a line of tequila across her collarbone before sprinkling it with salt. I winked at her and slowly licked up the salt, took the shot glass in my mouth and downed it, dropping the empty glass in her lap and sucking the lime from her lips. I heard Emmett gasp loudly, Rosalie laughing, and felt Jacob's hand squeezing my thigh. I looked across the table at the others, who all just had a shocked look on their faces.

The trampy looking blonde sitting next to Edward spoke up next. "I'm getting thirsty; I think it's my turn." She looked at Edward and whispered, "Are you ready?"

She put the glass in his crotch like Rosalie had done to Emmett, but I think she must have taken extra long to 'situate it' because I noticed him stiffen up and grab onto the edge of the table. She started to place the lime in his mouth, but he shook his head the tiniest bit, and instead she pulled his hand up and placed it between his fingers. Then she unbuttoned the top few buttons on his shirt and parted it enough to lick up his chest and neck, all the way to his earlobe. She smiled at him and said, "I like a lot of salt." Then she sprinkles the salt across the wet trail and licked across it again, slowly. Next, her head went between his legs for quite some time, moving up and down. His eyes got a little bigger and his grip on the table tightened. Her head came back up, without the glass, and she sucked the lime juice off of his fingers before retrieving the wedge and spitting it out in her own hand. We all just stared at them speechlessly, and Emmett finally asked in a confused tone, "Okay, did you drink the tequila or not?" Edward laughed and moved the glass from his crotch to the tabletop. It was completely empty, not even a drop left. Emmett's furrowed his brows for a second , then shook his head. Everyone else laughed again, and Blondie gave a triumphant grin.

Again, Emmett initiated the next candidate, "Alright Jasper, you're awfully quite over there. I think you should go next." Jasper glanced out of the corner of his eye at the girl beside him, then looked across to Alice for a moment. I could tell he was a little skeptical about what to do, so I shrugged and stretched my arm across the table in offering to him. "It seems like I'm the body that's getting the most use tonight. Help yourself," I laughed. Jasper gave me a thankful smile and grabbed my arm. He rubbed the lime across the inside of my arm ending at the crook of my elbow, where he placed the lime and bent my arm slightly to hold it in place. Then he placed the glass in my hand and sprinkled the salt on the lime trail. He squeezed my wrist and licked the salt, took the shot glass with his mouth, and then, bit the lime and dropped it from his mouth to the table. Before he let go of my wrist, he turned my hand over and placed a quick kiss on the back of my hand. I pulled my arm back and gave an appreciative smile.

Edward picked up the next glass and placed it beneath the top of Blondie's dress, between her cleavage, like I had done with Alice. Then, he picked up a lime and dropped it into the glass. Blondie frowned for a second until he cupped the side of her face and ran his fingers through her hair, pulling gently to tilt her head while he placed a row of wet open mouth kisses down the side of her neck. He salted the wet trail and seductively licked away the salt before pulling the shot glass out with his teeth. He tipped his head back and swallowed the tequila, then opened his mouth more to let the lime fall in. He grabbed the glass out of his mouth and spit the lime back into it. Blondie looked a little breathless, Alice elbowed me in the ribs, Edward looked down at the table with a half smile, I wanted to cry, and everyone else clapped on the table in applause.

The only ones left were the last two girls sitting together. They looked at each other, shrugged, and both picked up a shot glass and placed it between their cleavage. One girl licked the inside of the other's arm and salted it. The other girl placed a lime wedge under the thin dress strap of her friend's dress. Then both girls licked the salted arm together, plucked the glasses from each others cleavage with their mouths and tipped their heads back swallowing the drink. Then, one girl sucked the lime out from the other's dress strap, and they started French kissing each other. The lime wedge started in one girl's mouth and ended in the other's. Jacob choked out a cough and patted his chest harshly a couple of times, Alice mouthed, "Fuckin' shit!", Rosalie quirked an eyebrow, Emmett whooped and hollered, Jasper looked down and shook his head, Blondie laughed, Edward smirked, and I looked away.

After that round of body shots, Emmett poured everyone another shot and made a toast. "To old friends and to new friends, but most importantly- to good friends!" We all clanged our glasses together and drank. Then, Edward leaned into Blondie to whisper something in her ear. He took her by the hand and led her out to the dance floor. The two other girls jumped up and chased after them. Jacob asked me to dance, and I grabbed Ali and pulled her with us.

Out on the dance floor, all three girls were rubbing their bodies against Edward as they danced. Me, Jacob, and Alice danced like normal people. Alice's other friends found us on the dance floor and danced next to us. When a slow song came on, everyone except me and Jacob, and Edward and Blondie, went to sit down. Jacob leaned in and asked me if I was having a good time. I shook my head 'yes' before leaning my head against his chest. I noticed Edward kissing Blondie on the neck as she was grinding into him. I looked back towards the table and laughed when I saw Alice doing a body shot off Jasper. When the song ended, we all went back to the table.

Alice and I ordered a couple margaritas each, and Jacob got a rum and coke. Emmett was scarffing down hot wings with Rosalie practically laying in his lap, almost passed out. The rest of the men stopped drinking so they could still drive home later. Alice and I basically guzzled our two drinks and ordered two more. We decided to take a cab home and pick up the car tomorrow.

We were all talking, laughing, and having a good time. Jasper brought up the article I wrote on his restaurant and thanked me for the great review. Everyone wanted to know what my next assignment was, and I told them I had to go to the mystery dinner theater tomorrow. Since it's reservation only, the paper had already purchased two tickets for me to go, but I didn't have anyone to take with me. There was a big fashion show in town, and Alice and Jacob had to be there for work. Jasper commented on how much he loved that kind of shit, and I offered him my other ticket.

"No shit? I'd love to go if you don't mind me going with you," Jasper asked excitedly.

"Yeah, really. If you're interested. I'd rather not go alone anyway," I offered again.

"Sure. I know it's not a date, but do you want me to pick you up?"

"You can if you want, or we could just meet there. It really doesn't matter to me." I was just glad I didn't have to sit through the play alone, and there was no sense in wasting the extra ticket.

"No, I'll pick you up. I can at least provide the transportation since you're sharing the tickets."

Before we could finalize the details, Alice grabbed my arm and pulled me to the dance floor. "What the hell, Alice?"

"I know. I don't know why I did that. I was just freakin' out for a second. I know you don't want to go by yourself, and Jasper is just a friend, but you can't go out with him! It's just…he's so great and…what if you two hit it off tomorrow night or something. I… I…just really want him, Bella!"

"Whoa, Alice! Calm down. You know I don't want Jasper like that. And besides, I would never do that to you. Look. At. Me. Jasper's nice and everything, but there's only one man I can't get off my mind… but, I can't have him."

Alice looked at me with sympathy. "I know, Bella. I'm sorry. This sucks. I wish we could both have who we want. They're all so much fun to hang out with. We could be doing this all the time."

"Alice, you _can _have who you want, just go get it." I noticed Edward and the three sluts dancing near us, and I tried to distance us from them a little more. But before I could, Alice narrowed her eyes towards our table and shouted, "Oh, look! I think all my friends are getting ready to leave. They're all over there talking with Jacob and getting their stuff together. I better go be polite and say goodbye." Then she grabbed Edward and tossed me into his arms. "Here, dance with Bella for a minute. I'll be right back!"

He looked frozen in place for a few seconds, and I looked around for the sluts. He must have read my mind because he said, "Yeah…they um…went to the bathroom." Then, the music changed to a slow song, and we just started dancing. I don't know what the hell came over me, maybe a few too many drinks, but I looked at his face and couldn't stop staring at his luscious lips. They looked so good…so inviting. I just wanted to…And before I knew it, I couldn't stop the words from coming out. "If you would just fucking let me kiss you once, I could stop wondering how soft your lips really are." _God, I can't believe I just said that!_

He looked at me for a second, a small crease forming between his brows. And then, he placed two fingers under my chin and gently tipped my head up, as he leaned down and so softly touched his lips to mine. It wasn't enough. I needed more. I wrapped both arms around his neck and threaded my fingers through the back of his hair as I pulled him into me. I felt his hands run down my sides and rest at my waist, holding tightly. He deepened the kiss, and we both lost ourselves in it. It was gentle and warm; tender and sweet. He brushed his tongue across my bottom lip, and I opened my mouth more, inviting him in. And then, it was hot and passionate; urgent and longing. Our lips and tongues danced with each other while our bodies pressed tightly together. When he finally pulled away, there were so many expressions in his eyes; I couldn't even read them all. I don't know what emotions he must have seen in mine, because I wanted to cry. I wanted to kiss him again. I wanted to never let him go. "So soft," I muttered under my breath. We both snapped back to reality and backed away from each other a little. I didn't know what to do, so I simply said, "thank you", and walked back to the table in a daze.

Thankfully, it didn't look like anyone noticed what just happened on the dance floor. I was still a little stunned. Alice and Jacob said goodbye to their coworkers, and it seemed as if everyone else was ready to go, too. We all said goodbye, and I gave Jasper my phone number so he could call me tomorrow about the theater. Alice was getting ready to call us a cab when Jasper offered to drive us home. He rode with Edward. So, he decided to drive us in Alice's car, and have Edward follow us to give him a ride home.

I barely remembered the ride home, and I had no idea how I made it to bed, but I didn't wake up until after eleven the next day.


	10. Ch10 EPOV The Kiss

Chapter 10 EPOV

The weekend in Vegas had me returning home extremely relaxed and anxious to get back to my baby girl. Bethy was overly excited to tell me about her trip to the museum. Apparently, she and my mom ran into Bella on their little outing. Conversation during our family dinner consisted of nonstop ramblings from Bethy about all the fun stuff they did together at the museum. She shoved a couple of finger paintings, some kind of messy, tissue art picture, and a container filled with some sort of snotty looking substance into my lap as she waved her arms in the air, explaining each of her creations.

"Oh, Daddy! You should have seen Izzybelwa's pictures. She drawed really pretty, but she said she liked mine the best. She didn't like the slime though, but I beated her in the car race because she crashed her car a bunch of times." She giggled at the memory and continued her chatter.

The light in her eyes as she recounted the events, kept me completely enraptured in her story. By hearing her account of things, you would think that she and Bella had been the only two people in the whole museum that day. I knew my mom had been looking forward to taking her there this weekend, and I hoped she hadn't been disappointed in having to share her attention. I glanced at my mom and noticed a look of sheer joy on her face as she watched Bethy finish up her story. Mom even added a few comments about how thankful she was that Bella was there to help entertain Bethy, how much fun they had obviously had, and how nice she thought Bella was.

For a split second, I was a little concerned about Bella's involvement with Bethy, but I reminded myself that I couldn't control every circumstance where they might run into each other in the city. Bethy said that Bella, _or Izzybelwa_, had been there to 'write a fun story for her other work', so I guess the whole thing had been completely coincidental. I was just glad my little girl had such a fun day and promised to hang her new artwork on the refrigerator as soon as we got home.

It was another week at work and business as usual. I spent most of the week in conferences, so I only saw Bella briefly. It was getting easier keeping things on a professional level only until Thursday when, for some reason, she stopped calling me Mr. Cullen and started referring to me as 'Sir'. I don't know why, but every time she did it, her head was tilted down a little and a light blush crossed her face. It. Drove. Me. Crazy. I wanted her to stop. I wanted her to look at me. But mostly, it just conjured up all sorts of impure thoughts. _Isabella kneeling naked, waiting for me in my office. Isabella blindfolded and tied to my bed. Isabella in a naughty schoolgirl uniform, bent over my desk. The list goes on and on._

By the time Friday night rolled around, I was desperate for some much needed sexual relief. Jasper called and invited me, along with Emmett and Rose, to our favorite club, The Spin. He was meeting three girls there around eight. They came into New Moon for dinner earlier in the week, said they were new in town, asked if he knew any good clubs around, and invited him to join them.

We all met up at the club and started drinking right off. The girls were hot, and all three of them seemed open for a night of fun. Rose and I hit the dance floor with the girls, and Em and Jasper hung out at the table eating appetizers and having a few drinks. When we got back to the table, I almost lost it right there. Bella and a couple of her friends were at our table talking to Emmett and Jasper. And fuck me if she didn't look absolutely sinful. She was just as beautiful as always, but her hair and make-up were done up like a vision from my hottest wet dream. And her dress was barely covering the hot body she was flaunting. I noticed the bulky guy beside her was resting his hand on her lower back, and it pissed me off. He shouldn't be allowed to touch her. No one should be allowed to touch her. She was only meant to be in dreams…MY DREAMS! I wanted to rip his arm off, but how the hell did I know if he was her boyfriend or fiance or some shit. I mean, I really didn't know anything about her personal life, so I'd have to let it slide…for now.

Emmett concocted the brilliant idea of everyone doing body shots, and I wasn't sure if it was an awesome idea or the worst scenario imaginable. It seemed like everyone was trying to outdo each other with their performance, and things got pretty interesting. I was waiting to see what kind of body shot Bella and Jacob were going to do; it might help me decipher what kind of relationship they had between them. Surprisingly, Jacob's body shot off Bella was pretty harmless. It made me think they weren't that serious yet, and that thought made me happy. Bella shocked me again by taking a shot off Alice instead of Jacob. _Maybe they weren't involved romantically at all_. And her performance was pretty impressive too. It had a hint of sexual behavior, in a teasing but not trashy way. I'd have to say, Emmett and Rose's show was the most provocative. I got a little nervous when Casey, the girl I was sitting next to, started her body shot on me. I knew she would try to be sexy about it, which was okay with me. But when she started to put the lime in my mouth, I couldn't let that happen. Luckily, she went a different route and still made it sexy, but she didn't do as good of a job pulling it off as Bella did.

For the third time that night, I was shocked when Bella offered her body to Jasper for his shot, saying something like 'her body was the one getting used the most tonight'._ I could think of a million different ways to use that tight body of hers! _Jasper was pretty tame with his shot as well, and it was a good thing because I'd hate to have to fuck up my best friend tonight.

When it was my turn, I really wanted to 'use Bella's body' too, but I figured that would be too 'unprofessional'. Even though we weren't at work right now, it would probably make things awkward between us. So, I used Casey's body instead.

Then Kara and Anne ended the show with a little girl on girl action. I think everyone at the table was floored except for me. It wasn't anything different from what I was use to seeing. Shit, maybe I would go home with all three of these girls tonight. Jasper doesn't seem interested, so I doubt he would mind. After the body shots, Emmett made a toast to good friends and it made me stop and think for a minute. So far, tonight had been really fun, even with including Bella and her friends. I was so use to our close knit group…could Bella and I actually be _friends_?

I went back out on the dance floor with the three girls, and when they excused themselves to use the ladies room, I started to head back to the table. And that's when it happened! Alice threw Bella in my arms and, after the shock wore off, we started dancing close to a slow song that started playing. At some point during the song, Bella asked for a kiss. But, it was the way she asked that stunned me. I knew she was probably pretty drunk by now, but the look in her eyes was so alluring. Like she really wanted to kiss me - like she _needed_ to kiss me - like not giving her that kiss would break her heart. I couldn't deny her. And if I'm being honest, I think I _needed_ to kiss her too. WORST. MISTAKE. EVER! With just that one kiss, my entire world crumbled. All the walls I had built…all my carefully orchestrated rules…everything I thought I knew…gone in an instant! Her lips were so soft and tasted so sweet, like sugar. The kiss was tender and loving. Her fingers wove through my hair with purpose, and she pulled me into her, pressing her body firmly against mine. The kiss was passionate and seductive; desire flowing through us both. Emotions I never knew I could feel flowed through my veins. It's been almost four years since I've kissed anyone, but even compared to every other kiss I've ever had, this was so different. This was…amazing! _Beyond amazing_. When we finally pulled away, I saw such longing in her eyes. Some type of care and devotion I'd never seen before. It looked like she mouthed the words 'so soft' and then she said, "Thank you" and walked away. I was so thrown off kilter that I couldn't move. It wasn't until Jasper found me and asked me to follow him to take Alice and Bella home that I realized where I was. Originally, I had plans to spend the night with Casey and maybe her friends, but after that kiss, there was no way I would be able to concentrate on anyone else tonight.

I followed Jasper to Alice and Bella's apartment. When we got there, both girls were pretty much passed out. Jasper beckoned me over to their car and asked me to help get Bella inside while he carried Alice. I tried to wake her up, but she just moaned and tossed her body around a bit. So, I picked her up and carried her into the apartment. Alice was a little bit more coherent and stumbling around in the living room when she saw me come in with Bella in my arms. She pointed to a door, and I took Bella into her room and laid her on the bed. I didn't want her to be uncomfortable, so I untied the straps on her shoes and took them off. I took her jewelry and belt off and sat it on her nightstand. Then, I pulled her covers out from under her and covered her up with them. Just as I was walking out of her room, Alice yelled to me, "You have to take her clothes off! Bella can't sleep with clothes on!" I turned and looked back at Bella sleeping in her bed. She looked so beautiful and peaceful. I'd imagined Bella's body naked a million times in my head, and I'm sure it was nothing less than perfection in real life. But, there was no way I was going to undress her in the state she was in. I stood over her, watching her sleep for a few more minutes before placing a soft kiss to her forehead. I brushed her hair away from her face and whispered, "Goodnight, sweet angel."

I left her room and found Alice and Jasper on the couch. "Alice, there's no way I'm taking her clothes off. I put her in bed. You can help her get undressed if you want to…Jazz, are you ready to go?"

Alice laughed and curled into the couch. Jasper got up and offered to help her to her room, but she declined, saying she was comfortable there. I dropped Jazz off and headed home alone. I laid in my bed, restless and uncomfortably hard , thinking about Bella and … that kiss.


	11. Ch11 Dinner Theater With Jasper

Chapter 11 BPOV

_Ouch! What the fuck? Someone make it stop! It's Saturday morning, and someone is trying to kill me with the loudest noise ever._

I rolled over and noticed the bright sunlight beaming through my window. I glanced at my clock that read 11:11. _I wish…I didn't feel like crap right now_. I heard my phone beep a few times alerting me that I had a voicemail._ So that's what the horrible noise was earlier_. Before I could even think about listening to my messages, I needed to make myself feel human again first. I stumbled into the bathroom and washed my face with cold water, brushed my teeth, and used the toilet_. I must have really been out of it last night to have slept in my clothes. _I stripped my dress off and hung it on the bathroom door. Then I jumped in the shower to wash off all the grime from last night. _What the hell happened last night? How much did I have to drink? I can't believe I slept so late. Wait…how did I get home? Alice was really drunk too. Did I say goodbye to Jacob? God, I hope I didn't do anything stupid last night. _I finished up in the shower and threw on an oversized t-shirt before heading to the kitchen to make some coffee and grab some Tylenol. While I was pouring myself some coffee, I heard mumbled ramblings coming from under the blanket on the couch.

"Alice, are you under there?" I asked, pulling the covers back to look underneath. She snatched the covers back and buried herself deeper inside. "Go away," she mumbled. I went back and finished fixing my coffee and took two Tylenol for my headache. Then I went back to my room to check my phone. I had one missed call, but I didn't recognize the number, so I listened to the voicemail. "_Hey, this is Jasper. I guess you're probably not up yet, but I was checking to see what time you wanted me to pick you up for the theater tonight. Give me a call or I'll try back a little later. Hope you're feeling okay this morning." _Oh, that's right. I invited Jasper to go along with me to the dinner theater. I pulled the tickets out of the envelope on my dresser and checked the time on them. The show started at six. I found the missed call on my phone and programmed Jasper's name in to add him to my contacts; then, hit send. He answered on the second ring. "Hey, Bella. How are you feeling today?"

"Hi, Jasper. I just got up actually, so I'm not really sure yet. I kind of have a headache, but I took some Tylenol, so I should be okay."

"Yeah, I guess you and Alice overdid it a little with the drinking last night. It was fun though. How's Alice feeling?"

"Still sleeping on the couch. I'll wake her up in a few hours, so she doesn't miss work. Are we still on for tonight?"

"Definitely. What time should I pick you up?"

"Well, the show starts at six, so…maybe five? That way we have plenty of time to get there, find parking, and get a good seat."

"Sounds good. I'll see you at five."

I laid back down on my bed to let the Tylenol take effect and fell asleep. When I woke back up, it was already two o'clock. I jumped out of bed, feeling a lot better, and went to check on Alice. She wasn't on the couch, and I heard water running in her bathroom, so I assumed she was in the shower. I went ahead and got dressed in a casual, ankle length, sleeveless, black dress with tiny daisy prints on it. I added the cute, short sleeve, cardigan style top that went with it and my black flats. I rolled my hair with my large hot curlers, so I could leave it down in loose, wavy curls. I put on a light touch of make-up and was ready to go. By the time I was done, it was three thirty. Alice was out of the shower and dressed for work as well.

"Hey, Ali. Glad to see you're alive. What time do you have to leave for work?"

"Ugh, about four thirty. Remind me never to drink that much again!…You look nice. Ready for your date with Jasper?"

"Alice, it's not a date. Want to watch some TV with me before we have to leave?"

"Sure. Hey, how'd you sleep last night? I told Edward to take your clothes off for you, but he wouldn't do it. Sorry, I was too drunk to help ya out."

"WHAT! What do you mean you told Edward to take my clothes off?"

Alice looked at me confused for a second, as if I should already know what she was talking about. "What? Oh, um…yeah. When he carried you into your bedroom and put you to bed, I told him you can't sleep with clothes on, but he said he wouldn't undress you…Wait, you don't remember anything from last night?" And then it hit me. Edward. Last night. At the club. Body shots. Dancing. Kissing Edward. _Holy shit! Kissing Edward! How could I have forgotten that kiss? I'll never forget that kiss! But everything after that is still kind of fuzzy. _I was too embarrassed to tell Alice what I had just remembered, so I lied.

"Not really. I remember going to the club and I know we had a lot to drink, but the details are kind of lost. Did I say goodbye to Jacob?"

Alice laughed a little bit, then crinkled her eyebrows, "Actually, I don't remember if either one of us said goodbye to Jacob. I'll make sure he knows we were kind of out of it and didn't mean to be rude if we were. I'll be seeing him tonight anyway. As far as the other details…I think I can say we all had fun. Do you remember doing body shots? All those guys are so much fun to hang out with. I can't believe that's the Rosalie you work with. She sounded kind of like a bitch when you talked about her. And even Edward was a lot of fun. I know he might be a bit of a womanizer, but somehow I think he's a really nice guy underneath. Jasper drove us home, and Edward followed him. He had to carry you to bed because you were passed out."

"Yeah, I remember the body shots. That was before we got really drunk. I don't remember getting carried to bed though. Why would you tell him to take my clothes off?'

Alice just shrugged and said, "because I know you can't sleep with clothes on", as if that was all the explanation needed. Then she hopped off the couch and grabbed her purse. "Well, I've gotta go. See ya later tonight. Tell Jasper I said hi and thanks for helping us get home last night."

About a half an hour later there was a knock at the door. I grabbed my purse and headed to the theater with Jasper. We were a little early. Parking was easier to find than I thought. We picked our seats and chatted for about half an hour waiting for the show to start.

I figured I'd do a little 'fishing' for Alice while I was here, so I started off the conversation, "So, Alice told me to tell you hi, and she wanted me to thank you for helping us get home safely last night. Oh, so do I, by the way."

Jasper chuckled. "It's no problem. Your friend Alice seems like a nice girl. You're welcome, by the way."

I smiled and blushed a little. "I really do appreciate it. I don't even remember getting home. Alice told me that Edward had to carry me in. God, I'm gonna be so embarrassed at work on Monday!"

"What's up with you and my best friend anyway?"

I gave Jasper a confused look. "What do you mean? I just started working for him a couple of weeks ago. Other than that, I've only met him a couple times outside of work. Three exactly. And all three times you were there too."

"I'm talking about that kiss last night," Jasper said smiling. "I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who saw it, but I did see it."

I took a deep breath and bit my lip. "I don't know. It was my fault, I guess. Look, I really don't want to talk about it, and I really don't want anyone else to know, so…"

"Don't worry. I'm not gonna say anything. I haven't even told Edward I saw it. If he knew, he'd probably freak out over it for a while. Listen, I'm not gonna judge you, or him. And I'm really not the kind of guy that sticks his nose in other people's business, but Edward is my best friend. And, he's honestly one of the best people I know. I'm sure there's a lot you don't know about Edward, and it's not my place to fill you in. But just know that he has really good reasons for being the way he is. And that little girl of his…everything he's done in the past four years is for her. She's his entire world. That being said, I think you should also know that Edward doesn't date. He has his family and me as his closest friends, and he doesn't let anyone else in. And Bella…Edward doesn't kiss anyone, _ever_. So whatever you think is or isn't going on between you two…it definitely is _something_."

I thought about everything Jasper just said and decided to put myself out there. "Jasper, I know there's a whole story behind why Edward is _Edward_. And I don't want you to tell it to me. Everyone has a past that has molded us into the people we are today. I see how great he is with his little girl, how much she means to him. I can tell. I don't want to mess up his life, and if he doesn't want me in it, I can deal with that too. But I can't help how I feel about him. I'm not gonna push him, and maybe the timing is all off, and maybe he doesn't even feel anything towards me at all. But if there ever is a chance, just a chance, for us to ever be something together…I'm gonna take that chance."

Jasper gave me the most warming smile and said, "I really hope you do, Bella. I really like you, and I think you could possible be exactly _the_ girl for Edward. He deserves to find the right girl. I just don't know if he'll let himself. And I really don't want to see either one of you get hurt. Understand?"

I smiled and nodded. "I wouldn't hurt him. And _not_ being with him already hurts me."

Jasper gave a sympathetic smile and nodded his head in return. Then, the lights dimmed, and the curtains on the stage opened. There was in introduction of the play and characters while waitresses came around and requested our choice of offered meals and drinks. The show began, and the food arrived shortly after. We ate while we watched the play, trying to solve the mystery along the way. The play was really quite good, and the plot took unexpected twists and turns along the way. Parts of it were suspenseful, and other parts were hysterical. We laughed and made our quiet guesses to each other.

"It's the waitress from the diner. It has to be!" Jasper whispered to me.

"No way! I think it's the limo driver. He's been sneaking around behind everyone's back the whole time. Plus, I think he's having an affair with the wife."

The end of the show was a complete shock to everyone in the audience. "I never saw that coming! What was the deal with the girl who delivered the flowers?" Jasper blurted out.

The couple behind us laughed, and the husband spoke up, "Man, I've been asking my wife that throughout the whole show. Pretty good surprise ending though, huh?"

"Yeah, it definitely was that!" Jasper responded "You two have a good night."

The couple wished us a good night as well, and I told Jasper I would just be a minute while I let the manager know about the article. He waited for me in the lobby until I returned, about five minutes later.

"That was fast," he commented.

"Yeah, it just depends on the place. Sometimes there are more questions I can ask that will help with the article, but at a place like this, you pretty much get everything you need to know just from the experience. And sometimes, if it's the owner instead of the manager, they have more questions for me. This time I just had to drop off my business card and let them know when the article would be printed."

"That makes sense." Jasper crooked his elbow for me to hold onto his arm as we walked to the car. He opened my door for me and helped me in. _Such a gentleman_.

The ride home was filled with more talk of the show as we joked around about each other's guesses. When we reached my apartment, Jasper thanked me again for sharing the ticket with him and told me how much fun he had. I asked him if he wanted to come in, but he said he needed to stop by the restaurant before they closed for the night.

"You still have my number, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, I just got it today. Haven't had time to loose it yet. Why?"

He chuckled at my lame joke and responded nervously, "Uh, well…I was thinking that maybe you could let Alice know that I'd like to take her out sometime and…if she was interested, you could give her my number and have her call me. And also, if you ever want to hang out again sometime or you need someone to go with you on one of your assignments, I'd be willing to help out."

"Okay, Jasper. I think you gave me your 'don't hurt my best friend' speech back at the theater, so here's mine. Alice can be super crazy a lot of the time…most of the time. But she's also the most genuine person you'll ever meet. Anytime someone needs something, she's there in a second…always ready to help…always without question…and never asking for anything in return. If you two dated, you would never have to worry if she was being honest with you, and you would never have to wonder how she felt. All I can ask, is that you treat her the same. And if you can see past the crazy, you'll love her!"

"Thanks, Bella! Tell her to call me?"

"I will. Make sure you have your phone on you, 'cuz I'm sure it won't take much convincing to get her to call," I laughed and started to get out of the car when Jasper reached out and held my arm.

"Goodnight, Bella. And if you ever need a friend or someone to talk to, I promise I'll be available for that too."

"Thanks, Jasper. Goodnight."

Jasper waited for me to enter my building before he drove away. I was smiling to myself at how sweet he really was as I pulled out my keys to open the door. I was about two steps inside the apartment before I was blasted by questions from Alice.

"So, tell me all about it! How did your non date go? Did you guys have a good time?" Alice blurted out, as soon as she spotted me.

"It was nice, Alice. The place definitely gets a two thumbs up on my entertainment scale. The food was great, and the show was funny and suspenseful. It had a very witty plot and surprise ending." I knew this wasn't what she was after, but I wanted to string her along a little bit first.

Alice narrowed her eyes at me. "Bella, you know that's not what I'm asking. How was Jasper? Did you tell him I said thanks?"

I laughed and decided to put an end to her anxiousness. "Jasper was great. He's a lot of fun to hang out with. Yes, I told him you said thanks…Oh, and he wants to take you out sometime. He told me to give you his number."

Alice shot off the couch with a shriek. "Ohmygod! Really? What did he say? Where's his number? Should I call him right now? Oh, thank you, Bella. I'm so excited! I really think he could be 'the one'. I just have a feeling, ya know?"

"Calm down, Alice. I hope he really is the one. I think he's probably the most perfect guy I've ever met. Too bad you called dibs on him first." I faked a pout then elbowed her in the side. "Go grab your phone. I'm sure he'd love to get a call from you already."

She handed me her phone and I programmed his number in for her before she took off to her bedroom with a big smile on her face.

Now that I was alone, my mind started wandering over the conversation Jasper and I had about Edward, and about everything that had happened between us over the past couple of weeks. The instant attraction I felt the first time I saw him. My signed CD. His beautiful voice I listened to nightly. The way he suggestively propositioned me the second time we met. That first day at work for Cullen Corporation. The sweetness I saw on his face when he held Jellybean. And especially that kiss Friday night. That amazing, all consuming kiss that made me want to have him forever. Which brought my thoughts back to what Jasper said. 'Edward doesn't kiss anyone, ever.' If that was true, then why did he kiss me? What exactly did that mean? And then there's the other women. Jasper said he doesn't date, but I've seen him with a few different women. And it was obvious that they weren't just friends. Were they one night stands? Would I ever be able to be enough for him if something did happen between us? Or would I just be another one time notch on his belt? Shit, I'm not even sure if there's a chance of us 'hooking up'. But there are three things I am sure of. One, there's no way I can get him off my mind, even if he doesn't want me. Two, that kiss was more than just a kiss, but I can't stop the feeling that he's gonna run from this. And three, my heart will never be complete without him, and it may already be broken. I was such an emotional mess, I decided to soak in a hot bath and hit the bed. Before I could fall asleep, Alice came bouncing into my room.

"Bella! Jazz and I are going out tomorrow! We're going to have lunch in the park and take one of those carriage rides around the city. He said he just wants to spend the whole day getting to know me. Isn't that awesome?" She was so excited.

"That's great, Ali. Sounds perfect, actually. Congratulations. I'm really happy for you, but if you don't mind, I need to get some sleep. If I don't see you before you leave tomorrow, have fun, and tell Jasper I said hi."

She looked a little sad for a second, and I kind of felt bad. I _was_ really happy for her. I wasn't kidding when I said Jasper was the perfect guy, and I think they'd be great together. It was just hard watching someone else start out in a great relationship when I may not even get the chance to try.

"Okay. Goodnight, Bella."

"Goodnight, Ali."

The next day, Alice made breakfast, and we ate together before she started getting ready for her day with Jasper. She was gone before I even got out of the shower. I spent the day writing my article, doing laundry, and cleaning the apartment. Later on, I needed some fresh air and went for a long walk. When I got back, Alice and Jasper were there, and they were ordering Chinese food for all three of us. We watched a movie together while we ate, and as soon as it was over, I excused myself to go to bed. I tried to fall asleep listening to my CD, but I was nervous about seeing Edward at work tomorrow. I couldn't get my mind to relax. I didn't know what to expect. I know he made a big deal out of keeping business and personal separate, so would he act like nothing happened? Would it be awkward? And if we couldn't talk about it at work, would we ever? Probably not. I had my CD player on repeat, so I must have listened to every song at least three times before I finally fell asleep.

All that worry I had last night was for nothing because when I got to work, Edward wasn't there. Rosalie said he wasn't coming in all day, and we would have to field all the conferences to Emmett. It wasn't like Edward to shrug off business. Rosalie said he wasn't sick, so I hoped there wasn't anything wrong with Jellybean. But, Rosalie said she was fine too. The only thing she mentioned about Friday night was that she had fun and hoped we could do it again sometime. I spent my lunch at the _Times_, turning in my article and picking up my new assignment, the city zoo.

On Tuesday, Edward didn't leave his office all day, so I didn't even see him once. He'd gotten there before me and buzzed Rosalie at five, saying that he still had work to finish up and was going to be a while, but for us to go ahead and leave.

Wednesday, he was in conferences all day, and for some reason, Rosalie took care of setting up the conference rooms. So again, I didn't run into him all day. I stayed busy at my desk doing paperwork and scheduling a few meetings for later in the week. Rosalie said she wanted me to learn how to do all the parts of the job she usually took care of, in case she was ever out sick and I had to handle everything on my own. I suppose that made since. One of the weird things I had to schedule was a date from an escort service for Edward. Rose explained it to me before I called.

"The annual hospital fundraiser is coming up on October 20, and since Cullen Corporation owns several of the pharmaceutical companies they use, all of our CEOs always attend. Plus, Cullen Corporation is also one of their largest donators. The top three escort services in New York are listed in my rolodex. Only use the ones listed there. Start with the first one, and if they don't have anyone available for that date, move on to the next one. Just tell them it's for Edward Cullen and the event. They'll know what you need."

I crinkled my forehead in thought. _Why would Edward need to hire someone to attend an event ? I know he doesn't date, but he's Edward fucking Cullen. I'm sure he could get any girl to willing go with him anywhere._

Rosalie rolled her eyes at me. "Look, I'm sure you know Edward doesn't date. This is a business arrangement. It's a public event that requires a date. Edward never uses the same escort twice. If he is photographed with the same woman at more than a couple events, it can start a media frenzy of rumors, which he wants to avoid. Being an attractive, rich, successful CEO and single makes him one of New York's hottest bachelors. And some of the less credible rags around town would find it newsworthy to speculate about his love life if given a reason. All three agencies are well aware of his requirements. It's very simple." With that explanation, she left to go back to the conference rooms.

Nervously, I picked up the phone to secured a date for my 'wish he was mine' boss. "Hello, this is Isabella Swan from Edward Cullen's office. I need to book an escort for Mr. Cullen…October 11...the annual hospital fundraiser…okay, thank you." _Okay, I guess it was that simple_.

When I got to work on Thursday, I was told that one of Emmett's assistants had called out sick and they were really busy in his office, so I was asked to go help out there for the day. It didn't make much sense to me because there was a lot less to do in Emmett's office, and now Rosalie was shorthanded, but whatever.

By Friday, I was starting to think Edward was purposely trying to avoid me. Well, I started to think that on Monday to be honest, but I wrote it off as my own insecure paranoia. Only now, I think I'm onto something. Right before lunch, Rosalie told me it was a slow day and I could go ahead and leave early, still getting paid for the whole day. I didn't question it. It had been a weird week, and I was more than ready to leave.

EPOV

I walked around in a fog all weekend, still confused from that kiss. Aside from going to the family dinner at my parents on Sunday, I stayed home and played with Bethy the whole time. By Monday, my head still wasn't on straight and I took the day off, which was completely uncharacteristic of me. I've only missed work once, for three days in a row, when I had the flu and a stubborn fever of 102 that wouldn't go down. Mom had to force me to stay home that time.

The rest of the week, I did whatever I could to avoid seeing Bella. I knew I'd have to face her eventually, but I just needed some time to get over this…whatever it was I was feeling after kissing her.

I was so ready to escape the office for the weekend. I was looking forward to spending more time with Bethy. I promised her we would go to the zoo Saturday, and she was so excited about 'meeting the animals'.


	12. Ch12 The Zoo

Chapter 12 BPOV

Leaving work early added even more hours to my already unplanned Friday night. I called Alice at work to see if she had any plans. Unfortunately for me, she already had plans to meet Jasper at his restaurant for dinner and hang out there until they closed. They had already become quite the inseparable couple. After their Sunday getting to know each other, he met her for lunch a couple times this week and they talked on the phone every night. Of course, Alice invited me to join them at New Moon, but I really didn't feel like being a third wheel this early on in their relationship. When I declined, she suggested I give Jacob a call. I hadn't talked to him since the drunken night of body shots last weekend, which made me a little uncomfortable calling him. He hadn't called me either, and it made me wonder if he had decided he wasn't interested anymore. So I took the easy way out and sent him a friendly text message instead.

_Sorry I haven't had a chance to talk to you this week. Busy tonight? - Bella_

It was only a few minutes later when my phone beeped with a response.

_Late shoot today. Movie later tonight? - Jacob_

I felt a little guilty for not calling him earlier in the week, and I hoped he hadn't thought I was blowing him off only to call last minute on a Friday when I had no other plans. But I still answered with a simple: _Sure . Pick me up when you're ready_. The one thing I hate about texting is that, aside from abbreviated text actions or stupid smiley face icons, there's no way to gauge peoples reactions or emotions. The messages were short and to the point, but at least he seemed interested in going out still, and at least I didn't have to sit around the house bored and alone now.

I figured I had plenty of time to kill before Jacob got there, so I got all my weekend chores done in the meantime, leaving me free to enjoy the zoo and leisure time for the rest of the weekend.

Jacob didn't arrive until around nine o'clock, and we headed straight to the movie theater to catch the latest showing of whatever movie was playing. Not a lot was said on the ride there. He apologized for not calling me since our last outing, saying that work had been crazy for him as well. I apologized for getting too intoxicated and for anything I may have done or said that was 'stupid drunk behavior'. He assured me that I didn't do anything to be embarrassed about and that almost all of us there were pretty well wasted by the time we all left, himself included.

When we got to the theater, the only movie that hadn't started yet was a romantic comedy. He bought tickets to that one, and we got in the concession line to get a drink before finding seats in the dark theater. The movie was pretty good. Jacob seemed to enjoy it even though it was kind of a 'chick flick'.

After the movie, we stopped by a twenty-four hour coffee shop for coffee and a dessert. We sat across from one another and talked for a while. I told him about Forks, the town I lived in up until a few months ago, and a little about my dad who was the police chief in the small town. We talked about our jobs and some of our college experiences. I learned that he preferred physically active forms of entertainment such as hiking, skydiving, skiing, and boating. He invited me to go rock climbing with him one weekend, which I quickly declined. I admitted that I enjoyed nature, but in a more passive way. I told him that in an effort to avoid bodily harm, I generally try to avoid circumstances where coordination or strenuous physical activity is concerned. He just laughed at me and told me I should try to be a little more adventurous once in a while.

After our coffee, we made it back to my place around midnight. I thought about inviting him in, but I had received a text from Alice earlier, telling me that she was spending the night at Jasper's place. For some reason, I didn't want to put myself in the awkward position of being alone with Jacob in private. I said goodnight to him at my door, and he did lean in to give me a kiss this time. It was soft and sweet - no tongues, just a nice innocent kiss before saying he would call me later to make plans to see each other again. I should have been more excited about the prospect of another date. I should have been more excited about kissing him. I should have at least felt something. But I didn't. Sure, he was a nice guy and enough fun to hang out with, but I didn't feel anything other than a possible friendship with him. _I guess Alice's plan of supplying me with a sexy distraction was failing so far._

The next morning, I was up early and looking forward to spending the day at the zoo alone. It was also a beautiful day and relatively warm, so I was more than happy to be able to dress in jeans and a t-shirt, my comfort clothes. I threw on an old, black, Def Leppard concert T and my worn black chucks. I grabbed a zip up hoodie to take with me in case it got cooler later. Not feeling the need to impress anyone today, I tossed my hair up in high ponytail and headed off.

I stopped at the entrance of the zoo to pick up a map. I unfolded the paper to try and decide where to start when I heard an excited little voice squealing my name. I looked up to see Jellybean hurrying over to me, dragging her sexy dad behind her. They both looked adorable. She had on jeans and a cute red sweater with a ruffled collar and ladybugs buttons down the front. And of course, her light up Barbie tennis shoes. Edward was also wearing jeans and tennis shoes. The long sleeves on his dark green t-shirt were pushed up to his elbows, and the form fitting material stretched tightly over his tone muscles.

"Izzybelwa! Izzybelwa! Daddy, look it's Izzybelwa! I should have known she would be here. She's always at the funnest pwaces." Jellybean could hardly contain her excitement, and I had to admit, it made me feel really happy to see her.

I folded up the map and squatted down to wrap her in a hug when she reached me. "Wow, Jellybean! What are you doing here?"

"Me and Daddy came to meet the animals. Are you working again or just having fun like us?"

"I guess a bit of both." I smiled at her before straightening up.

She grabbed my hand and started jumping up and down. "Can you meet the animals wif us?" She looked at me with big bright eyes before turning to her dad and begging with a pout. "Pwease, Daddy! Can Izzybelwa meet the animals wif us?"

Edward looked more relaxed than I think I'd ever seen him. He smiled wide and laughed at his little girl's excitement. Then he looked at me for assurance as he answered her. "It's fine with me, Jellybean, as long as Isabella wants to."

She clapped her hands, yelling "Yay! Yay!" Then, stopped suddenly and turned to Edward with her hands on her hips. "Daddy, you can't call me Jellybean. I your Bethy. I Izzybelwa's Jellybean!" Then she grabbed both of our hands and took off running towards the fence housing the zebras.

Edward looked a little shy from being scolded, but answered her with a "Sorry, Bethy", emphasizing her name before shrugging his shoulders at me and chuckling as we hurried to keep up with her. When we got to the fence, she tugged on Edwards shirt hem and begged, "Pick me up, Daddy. I need to be tall to see better!" He swooped her up and flew her through the air like an airplane before positioning her up on his shoulders. She giggled uncontrollably before settling down and pointing at the group of zebras close by.

"Helwo, zebras! I Bethy and this is my Daddy and Izzybelwa." Jellybean made her polite introductions to the zebras while Edward shook his head and smiled. We watched the zebras for while and moved on the ape house and monkeys, with her still on his shoulders. Jellybean's eyes got wide, and she tugged on Edwards hair to make him back up when we got close to the glass near a huge gorilla. She bounced around on his shoulders with happiness while we watched the playful monkeys swinging around in their cages.

After the monkeys, Edward wanted to go through the reptile house. Jellybean thought the alligators were cool, but made us leave as soon as she caught a glimpse of the first snake. Edward didn't complain as we walked our way back through the entrance, and I was kind of glad we were skipping that part too.

We walked a little further until Jellybean saw the colorful gift shop ahead of us. She squirmed her way off of Edwards shoulders and took off toward the shop. Edward yelled at her to slow down as we followed her inside. We let her walk around on her own to look at all the stuffed animals and zoo themed merchandise while we stood nearby.

"I hope we aren't keeping you from your work or anything. You honestly don't have to tag along if there's something else you need to be doing. Not that you're not welcome to hang out with us." Edward said with sincerity.

"No, absolutely not. My assignment was to come and enjoy the zoo and that's what I've been doing. I don't have anything else planned, if you don't mind the extra company. I mean, if this was suppose to be some kind of father-daughter special time, I don't mind finishing the day on my own." I was hoping I wasn't intruding on their quality time together because I really didn't want to leave. Before he could respond, Jellybean popped up between us with her arms loaded full of stuff.

"Daddy, can I have these?" She looked up at him with hopeful eyes. He smiled sweetly and bent down to take the things from her hands.

"Bethy, honey, I think this is way too much stuff to carry around all day. Why don't you pick just one thing, and we'll get that?" He looked like he wanted to buy her everything in the store, but didn't want to spoil her.

"Okay, Daddy." She looked over all the things and looked up at me. "Which one is your favorite, Izzybelwa?"

I looked at all the different animals to consider the options. "Well, my favorite animals at the zoo are the elephants, so I would pick that one. But which one is your favorite?"

She thought about it for a minute before she answered, "I haven't met all of the animals yet…I don't know." It looked like too hard of a decision for her, so Edward suggested we finish meeting all the animals and come back to the shop before we leave. That seemed to be the best solution, so we headed off towards the next area which happened to be the lions. They were huge. They looked so much bigger in person than what I had imagined. There was one giant male and two females. The male stalked back and forth like he was protecting his females, looking fierce and dangerous, but beautiful. We read the information on the signs to Jellybean and sat on the bench to watch for a while. Edward's attention was captured by the graceful creatures, and I was pretty sure that was his favorite exhibit at the zoo.

Jellybean walked between us, holding both our hands and lifting her feet to swing herself every so often. We met the tigers, hippos, a few camels, some horses, donkeys, groundhogs, prairie dogs, chipmunks, sea otters, fish, and a bunch of other animals before we came to the giraffes. Jellybean had made the introductions to the animals at each stop. When we met the giraffes, she was amazed. She even asked Edward if he could buy her the baby one for Christmas.

The last animal left to visit was the elephants. As we headed in that direction, Jellybean was dragging her feet and rubbing her eyes. She reached up for me and said, "I getting tired, Izzybelwa. Can you carry me?"

Edward looked like he was about to say something, but stopped when I reached for her and hitched her up on my hip. She wrapped her little arms around my neck and nuzzled her head against my shoulder while I carried her towards the elephants. Once we got to them, she regained enough energy to make the introductions again and marveled at how big they were. She asked a bunch of questions, and we read about them on the signs while I was still holding her. I told her the story of one of my favorite childhood memories.

"When I was a little girl, not much bigger than you, the circus came to town, and my daddy took me to see it. I remember not liking the clowns very much, but the rest of the show was really great. But the best part was, after the show, they were giving elephant rides to the kids, and I got to actually ride on one of the elephants. I couldn't believe how awesome it was. I think that's probably one the coolest things I ever got to do as I kid. Well, probably one of the coolest things I've ever done in my life."

Her eyes lit up with interest the whole time I told my story, and at the end, she reached for Edward to take her from me. "Daddy, can you take me to the circus like Izzybelwa's daddy did? I want to ride an elephant too."

He chuckled and agreed to take her the next time the circus came, but told her he couldn't promise they would let kids ride the elephants. Her answer was simple. "Well, Daddy, you just have to make sure you pick the right one."

I laughed and mouthed a quiet "sorry" to Edward. He just smiled and shook his head. Since we were done meeting all the animals, we started to make our way back to the beginning.

"Bethy and I were going to have a picnic for lunch, if you wanted to join us. I'm sure you're hungry, and I packed plenty of food," Edward offered as we neared the park area. Jellybean slid down, out of his arms, and grabbed my hand again. "Go get the food Daddy. We're hungry."

He laughed and started jogging towards the parking area. "Okay. You guys pick out a good spot and I'll be right back."

He returned a few minutes later with a blanket and a cooler. We spread it out on the grass together and all sat down. Edward reached into the cooler and handed out bottled waters to everyone and gave Jellybean the plates and napkins to pass out. Then, he laid out sandwiches, pasta salad, carrot sticks, and a bowl containing sliced apples, grapes, and cheese cubes. The last thing he pulled out was a container of chocolate cupcakes. My eyes lit up in appreciation, and he chuckled. "You have to eat all of your lunch first, and then you can have dessert," he said in a teasing tone to me. Bethy nodded her head a bunch of times in confirmation. "Daddy never lets me have my dessert first, but sometimes Pop-Pop does." Edward rolled his eyes and let out a sigh before explaining to me that his dad seemed to stumble on a new set of rules since Edward and Emmett were kids.

After we all finished our lunch, and _then_ got to eat our cupcakes, Jellybean spotted a little boy near the pond feeding the ducks. She asked her daddy for some of the leftover bread and ran over to join the little boy.

I helped Edward pack everything back into the cooler, and he stretched out on the blanket, leaning back on one elbow while he watched Jellybean by the pond. After the strange week at work, I expected it to be a little weird between us without Jellybean around as a buffer, but it wasn't. I'd already come to the conclusion that the kiss we shared would not be up for discussion anytime soon - or ever. So, I asked about the next thing that was on my mind.

"Edward, do you mind if I ask what happened to Bethany's mom? It's just that I've never heard her mentioned before…and I don't know if I should be prepared for any dealings with her through the office. So far, she's never called there or anything, but…I don't know…I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. Just tell me to mind my own business if you want." _Okay, that didn't come out as articulately as planned._

He looked a little apprehensive about answering, and when he did, he tried to be as vague as possible. "Umm…no, you don't have to worry about any interaction from her. She's not in the picture."

I wanted to know more, but already regretted asking in the first place. "Sorry. I shouldn't have asked. Like I said, it's not any of my business."

I could tell he was contemplating telling me more, but he looked a bit uneasy about it. "No, Bella. It's fine. All of the people who matter in my life already know the story. I just haven't had to talk about it in a long time." He paused for a few minutes, and I remained silent, letting him decide if he wanted to continue or not. Finally, he took a deep breath and began, "Her mom and I started dating when we were seniors in high school and continued dating when we went to the same college together. Our second year at college, we shared an apartment together. I don't think either one of us was really in love with the other, but it was comfortable and easy. We were both busy with classes, and we had already been dating for a while, so it seemed like the logical thing to do. At the end of our junior year, she found out she was pregnant. She knew she wasn't ready to be a mom yet. Hell, I knew I wasn't ready to be a dad, but I still wanted the baby. I still wanted to try and do the right thing and try to be a family. I knew it would be hard, but it was too late to change it. She wanted to have an abortion, but I convinced her that we could make it work, and I asked her to marry me."

I sat quietly on the blanket listening to his story, hoping that it wasn't too hard for him to talk about. So far, it sounded like a typical story. Two young people dating, getting pregnant, getting engaged, having a baby, but what happened next? I nodded to Edward in understanding, and he continued.

"She agreed to marry me, but wanted to wait until after the baby was born. I knew she had her doubts, and I tried to make things easier on her. I did all the housework, cooking and cleaning…and shopping. I ran to the store every time she had some weird craving." He stopped and chuckled remembering something. "It took me two and a half hours one time, to find the exact brand of pecan pie she wanted. Anyway, I bought her new clothes every time she outgrew her old ones. Even though we didn't have a lot of money, I just used my credit cards and figured I could pay them off after we graduated and started working." He paused again, this time with a painful expression on his face. I figured he was getting to the hard part, so, again, I just sat quietly waiting.

"It was a couple of months before her due date. I came home in between my classes to check on her…and she was …in our bed with some guy from her chemistry class. I can't even describe to you how I felt at that moment. I wanted to kill them both. But all I could think about was our baby. My baby. My baby that was still growing inside her. When she saw me standing in the doorway, she didn't even push him off her. She just looked at me with a shocked expression on her face. I was afraid of what I might do, so I just walked out…drove around for a while, trying to figure out how to fix it. When I got home later that night, she was still there. The guy had left, of course. She apologized…said she didn't mean to hurt me, but that I should have expected it since I cornered her into getting engaged and keeping the baby in the first place. I didn't even know how to answer that. The only thing I did know was that I didn't want her to take my baby away from me. I begged her to stay…to try and still make it work. When she looked like she was going to leave anyway, I offered for us to have an open relationship and still try to be a family. Whatever fucked up kind of family that would turn out to be. Reluctantly, she accepted. It was stupid of me, but I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't find it in me to be intimate with her in any way anymore. Although, I don't think that's what she wanted from me anyway. I gave her everything else I could, but she fed her sexual desires elsewhere. I stayed away from the apartment when I knew she had company. I still went to all the doctor appointments with her. I slept on the couch instead of in our bed. I didn't date anyone else. I didn't want to. I had enough on my plate to deal with already. It was three days after Bethy was born, that she decided it still wasn't going to work out. She still didn't want to be a mother, so she signed over all her legal rights to me and moved out of state to start her life over. I can't say I regret any of it because I ended up with the best part of the deal, and I'm more than glad that _she_ is out of my life forever."

I had no idea what to say in response to the story I just heard. I can't believe all the effort he put into making it work, or the fucked up way she didn't. I felt tears stinging in my eyes and tried to hold them back. I knew he didn't want sympathy. "Shit. I don't know what to say. Except that you _definitely_ got the very best part of that deal in the end.." Then I thought of something that made me kind of scoff out a chuckle, involuntarily.

Edward gave me a sad smile. "Amusing story?"

My eyes went wide realizing that my reaction probably didn't seem too fitting. "Oh, god no! That was a pretty fucked up situation you were in. It just reminded me of something for a second. Although my story isn't as dramatic as yours, I kind of understand one part of it. I was dating the same guy for two and a half years in college. We didn't live together, but I thought we were pretty serious. That is, until I went to surprise him at his place and found him in bed with two girls from _my_ English Lit class.

I found out later that he had been sleeping his was through most of the sorority girls on campus, the entire time we were together. Really, there was no love lost there, but it definitely didn't help my self esteem much back then. And to find out it had been going on the whole time just made me feel stupid, like the world's biggest idiot. How could I have not known all that time? It also doesn't help you trust anyone for future relationships either. I haven't had a real boyfriend since."

This time Edward chuckled. "Well, world's biggest idiot? I think you may have to share that title with me. Sorry that happened to you. No one deserves anything like that."

Jellybean bounced back over and threw herself on the blanket between us. "Can we go back to the shop and get me a giraffe now?"

Edward let out a groan and flopped his head back on the blanket. I was kind of exhausted myself and a little emotionally drained from our stories. I laid back and scooped Jellybean close to me. "Hey, Jellybean. Have you ever looked for cloud animals in the sky before?" She giggled and shook her head, so I told her to lay back with me and see if we could find any. All three of us laid there looking up at the sky, pointing out clouds shaped like elephants, giraffes, and whales. Jellybean spotted a couple cloud butterflies before she closed her eyes and fell asleep pressed up next to me. Edward looked over at us and got up quietly to go retrieve the requested gift shop animal. About fifteen minutes later, he returned with a small stuffed giraffe, lion, and an elephant. He gave me a crooked smile and a wink, and tossed the elephant on my chest before gently scooping up a sleeping Jellybean. I stood up and folded up the blanket before draping it over his other shoulder as he picked up the cooler to leave.

"Thanks for sharing your zoo day with me. See you at work this week?" It came out as a question because after last week, I wasn't so sure if I'd see him or not. I hoped we had made some progress today and he wouldn't try to avoid me anymore.

"It was our pleasure spending the day with you. I'll see you at work Monday," he replied, and headed off to his car.


	13. Ch13 The London Office

Chapter 13 EPOV

As I drove away from the zoo, it was impossible to erase the huge fucking smile that was plastered across my face. I couldn't even remember having a more perfect day in my entire life. To say that I was shocked to see Bella at the zoo would be a gross understatement, especially since I had just spent all week trying my best to avoid her. I was afraid things would be awkward around her after that kiss, but after witnessing her and Bethy's effortless interaction with each other, being around her just felt right. She was the perfect compliment to my day with my daughter.

I looked in the rear view mirror at the sleeping Bethy in the backseat, and my smile grew even bigger. I was in awe of the easy comfort she displayed toward Bella. It was like they had known each other forever. Snapshot memories of our day flashed through my mind. The three of us holding hands. Bella toting Bethy around on her hip. Choosing a favorite souvenir from the gift shop. Our picnic lunch together. Bethy's sleeping body curled into Bella's side. Each and every memory, picture perfect.

It also hadn't escaped my notice that, so far, every one of Bella's writing assignments had intermingled with my life in some way. It almost seemed prophetic. If it had been anyone other than Bella, I may have been suspiciously paranoid, but there was something about her that made me believe she could be trusted. Shit, she even had me opening up about Tanya. I've never told anyone that story. Of course, my parents, brother, and Jasper knew the story, but they had all been around to see it firsthand.

Bella ended up sharing her own story of betrayal and mistrust. She tried to downplay it, in comparison to my own story, but I could tell it affected her more than she was willing to admit. Although her situation hadn't resulted in a child being born, our stories were still pretty similar in a lot of ways. I knew the type of pain it caused. I could see it buried in the depths of her eyes, along with the undeniable strength that had pulled her through it.

It nearly broke my heart to think of someone hurting her that way. Whoever that guy was, he must have been one stupid fucking asshole. Anyone who had been lucky enough to have Bella Swan as their girlfriend, should have treasured her and protected her heart instead of tearing it to pieces. It took everything I had not to hold her and caress her until the hurt in her eyes went away, but it wouldn't have done any good to kiss her again, the way I'd been wanting to. The last time, it took me a week just to sort out my feelings enough to be around her again. Eventually, my emotions settled somewhere between being protective and possessive of her. That may not be the best combination for our _friendship_, but it was the best I could do at the moment.

I never wanted the day to end, but I knew it was time to go once Bethy couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. I left the girls on the blanket while I ran back to the gift shop. Bethy would never let me hear the end of it if I forgot to buy her a stuffed giraffe before we left. Once I was back in the shop, I couldn't resist buying a stuffed animal for each of us. It didn't seem right to leave without some tangible proof that day existed.

During the drive home from the zoo, I realized that Bella Swan had unintentionally infiltrated her way into my personal life already. Bethy talked about her frequently. My mother adored her. My brother thought she was the epitome of the perfect girl. If he wasn't so completely in love with Rosalie, I'm sure he would have already asked her out. Rosalie, one of the toughest girls in the world to earn a friendship from, already respected her and wanted to hang out with her again. And apparently, my own best friend, Jasper, was now one of her best friends too. I couldn't deny how easily she fit in with our group. Even her roommate, who was currently inseparable from Jasper, seemed to fit in naturally. I had no choice but to expand my inner circle to include Bella and Alice. It still didn't change the fact that she also worked for me, or the fact that I was unwilling to open up my life any further to her. But, being good friends with Bella was definitely doable.

Monday morning, I made a conscious effort to politely greet Bella when she arrived. I knew she was feeling a little apprehensive as to whether things would be strange between us at work, especially after the way I treated her last week. I wanted to ease her mind by showing her that we could be friends outside of work and still professional at work.

"Good morning, Isabella! How was the rest of your weekend?" I asked, trying not to think about how beautiful she looked this morning.

"It was great…very relaxing, actually. How was yours?" She answered with a sweet smile and a sparkle in her eyes.

"Really good, also relaxing. But, I guess it's back to the grueling world of office meetings and conferences now. Can you let me know when you have the first conference room set up? I wanted to get in there a few minutes early to prepare."

"Oh, sure. No problem. I was just getting ready to head up there. Give me about ten minutes, and everything will be ready for you."

"Great, thanks!" I responded, walking past Rosalie's desk and ignoring her watchful eyes that were taking in the interaction between me and Bella.

After all the morning meetings were done, I went to lunch with Emmett. I was in an incredibly good mood when I got back. That is, until my dad came walking through my office doors with a troubled look on his face.

"Dad, what's up? You look like something's wrong."

He pulled a folded newspaper from under his arm and flopped it down on my desk as he slid into the chair in front of me. I looked down and noticed the newspaper was actually one of those gossip tabloids. The second thing I noticed made my blood boil. Right there, splashed across the front page, was a big picture of me, Bella, and Bethy, with a headline that read: _**Is Millionaire CEO and NYC's Hottest Bachelor, Edward Cullen, Finally Off The Market? **_I narrowed my eyes and scanned the article to see what kind of bullshit they had printed now.

_Edward Cullen, along with his daughter and a lovely new mystery woman, was spotted enjoying a quiet picnic in the zoo park this past Saturday. The three seemed to be spending some quality 'family time' together. Sources say the couple and child were spotted throughout the zoo, smiling and laughing with one another. "Yes, they seemed very close. Much like a young couple in love, I would say," said one of the zoo patrons when asked if she noticed them._

_Mr. Cullen has been known for his somewhat playboy reputation in years past. He's been seen with different women on many occasions, but never in such an intimate setting, or accompanied by his daughter. We can only speculate at this point, but judging from the looks on their faces in this picture, I'd say there is definitely something special going on. Sounds like hearts are breaking all over the city right now. Sorry ladies, but they do say a picture is worth a thousand words. We'll leave it at that._

I shook my head and looked up at my dad, who was waiting to gauge my reaction after I finished reading. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is there something you want to tell me, son?"

I just shook my head in disbelief again before answering, "I don't know what to say. It certainly isn't what they made it out to be in that article. Bella just happened to be at the zoo at the same time I was there with Bethy."

Dad straightened up in his chair before questioning me more. He narrowed his eyes and asked, "Bella…Is that the same girl I just passed sitting behind the desk out there?" He motioned towards the outer office.

"Yes, Bella is Isabella Swan. She's my new assistant…"

Before I could finish, Dad was out of his seat and pacing back and forth in front of my desk. "Edward, you know better than to get involved with your assistant. Too many things could go wrong in that scenario. Do I need to list them? I can't believe…after all this time…you would be so careless. What if this ends badly? What about Bethy? Have you even considered…"

I heard just about as much as I could take from my father when I jumped out of my own seat and interrupted, "Dad! You aren't listening to me! Nothing is going on between us." Memories of that kiss flashed through my mind briefly, before I continued on. "We're just friends; not even friends, really. She works here and also as a journalist at _The_ _New York Times_. She was at the zoo, working on an article for the paper. We politely asked her to join us for lunch. That's it!" The words sounded like a lie as soon as I said them, even to my own ears.

Dad sat back down in his chair, and I did the same. I let out a huge puff of air and raked my hand through my hair, waiting for my dad's response . Dad scrubbed his hands up and down his face a few times before resuming the conversation. "Look, Edward…Your mother and I would like nothing more than to see you find a nice girl you could be happy with. And, I didn't mean to imply that you're not thinking about Bethany when you're dating these women…" I tried to interrupt, but Dad held up his hand asking to continue. I settled in my seat again and slumped down a little. Dad leaned forward and continued, "I'm not suggesting that you're lying about your relationship with Isabella. If you say there is nothing romantic going on, then I'll believe you. But you have to understand the negative impact this could have on everyone involved. Hopefully, Bethany doesn't confuse this friendship with something it's not. And Isabella…well, let's just say that rumors and gossip are never a good thing in the workplace. She'll be put in the position of defending herself against those rumors. And we all know that some people are going to believe whatever they want, rumors or denials. It also doesn't shine a very good light on your position here, if people choose to believe those rumors."

Selfish bastard that I am, I hadn't even considered how this could be bad for Bella as well. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and pinched the bridge of my nose to think. I picked up a pen laying on my desk and started tapping it against the surface. I glanced up at my dad and saw love and concern etched across his face.

"I understand all of those things, okay? But, I don't know how to fix it. If I had known this…_crap_ was going to be printed, then maybe I wouldn't have invited her to join us. I don't know. Bethy and Isabella kind of have their own little friendship. Something I had nothing to do with, I might add. They've met a few times and just hit it off. I don't think we have to worry about Bethy getting confused. She looks at Isabella like her own personal best friend more than anything else. But I really hope things aren't too bad for Bella around here after this. I mean, I don't want anyone spreading lies, like she's sleeping with the boss to get ahead or anything." I cringed at that last though. Bella, of all people, certainly didn't deserve to get dragged through mud like that.

Dad nodded, then crinkled his brow as if considering something new. "Son, is this the same Isabella that your mom and Bethy have been going on about lately?"

"Yeah, Dad. I guess she is."

He smiled for a second before getting out of his chair and heading towards the door. "Don't worry about it too much, Edward. I'm sure this will all blow over without too much notice or damage caused. And from what I've heard about Isabella, I think she can probably handle herself just fine."

I was a little bit confused about his change in behavior, but glad the conversation was finally over. I leaned back in my chair and glanced, once again, at the picture staring back at me. I heard the door open and the sound of someone clearing their throat. I looked up at my dad, who had a crooked half-grin on his face. "It _is_ a really good picture, son," he said as he turned to leave. I rolled my eyes and chuckled.

It really was a good picture. I had to admit, as much as I wished the damn paparazzi would mind their own fucking business, I was still a little thankful for having that moment caught on film. _Yeah, I'd be holding on to this for a while. _The photo was in full color. All three of us were situated on the picnic blanket that was spread across the grass. Bella was sitting near one corner with her head slightly tilted back in sweet laughter. Bethy was sitting up on her knees, between us, with a giant smile on her cute little face and a chocolate cupcake in her hand. I was half lying on my side, propped on an elbow, facing them with a smile playing on my lips as I looked up at Bella. I guess to an outsider, it would have looked like a happy family enjoying a perfectly pleasant day in the park.

Later that evening, I saw Bella sitting at her desk as I was making my way to the elevator to head home for the night. She looked up when she heard me approaching. There was a nervous look on her face as she started to stand. I furrowed my brow, wondering what she was getting ready to say. She stepped around her desk and headed toward me, meeting me in front of the elevator. Bella motioned toward the folded gossip paper under my arm and started to speak. "Edward, I…" Before she could finish, I just waved my hand in a gesture of blowing it off. She crinkled her forehead a little and bit her bottom lip before continuing. "Edward, I'm so, so sorry. I know you don't like your personal life to become public, especially where Bethany is concerned. I had no idea…I mean, I…somehow I feel like this is my fault, and I hope it hasn't caused you too much grief. You were both really sweet to include me, and I should have declined and stayed out of your personal life…I'm sorry."

By the time she finished apologizing for…I don't know - excepting my offer to join us, I was leaning against the wall with my arms crossed and a small smile on my face, waiting for her to notice I wasn't mad. When she paused and looked at me, I shrugged my shoulders and simply replied, "It was a good picture." She frowned and tilted her head to the side, questioning my response with her stance.

I decided to give in and give her a proper answer. "Bella, it's fine. Really. I'm not upset. No, I don't like Bethy being subjected to the media, especially stupid gossip magazines. But, it honestly wasn't anything harmful. It's fine." Then, I remembered the possible negative implications for her and added, "I just hope it hasn't caused you any problems either. I suppose it could spur some pretty nasty questions from inquiring minds around the office if they believe this stuff. Just…don't let anyone give you a hard time about it, okay? Come to me if you have any problems with anyone. We'll have HR put a stop to it."

She chuckled humorlessly, and added, "No, don't worry about me. I would just regret it if you or Jel…_Bethany_ had a hard time because of me."

"No worries. See you tomorrow?"

She smiled a genuine smile and responded with, "Yep, tomorrow. Goodnight, Mr. Cullen."

I laughed out a "Goodnight, Miss Swan" and stepped into the elevator.

Everything went great for the rest of the week, except on Wednesday when work decided to kick my ass. Dad called down to my office just before lunch, with the news of trouble in our London office. He was going to fly out first thing the next morning, and he needed me to go with him. This, of course, meant pulling practically an all-nighter to have all the business specs together by the time we left. There were a couple of divisions in our London branch that had been dropping in their numbers lately. Although unusual, it does happen from time to time. Dad had been keeping a pretty close eye on things, which is why he noticed the drastic fall in profits for these divisions right away. He suspected some sort of internal embezzlement and needed to have it investigated immediately, before it ruined the whole company.

I let Dad know that I would get Emmett and his assistant to meet us in conference room twelve right away. I hung up the phone after he told me he would call Mom and let her know we were all going to be working late. After I called Emmett, I stepped out to the front office to let Rosalie and Bella know what was going on. I had Rosalie reschedule the three remaining conferences of the day for some time the next week, when I would be back from London. I asked Bella to take some of the files and supplies we needed to conference room twelve and start setting it up. I used the phone at her desk to call down to the marketing, record keeping, finance, and foreign affairs divisions to have the rest of the information we needed sent up to the conference room.

Rosalie finished the rescheduling by the time I was done on the phone, and we headed up to the conference room together. Bella was separating files as we entered, with my dad and his two assistants right behind us. Dad started towards the head of the table where Bella was standing, and introduced himself before taking his seat and opening up some files.

"Hi, you must be Isabella Swan, Edward's assistant. I'm Carlisle Cullen. Sorry I haven't been down to introduce myself sooner, but it's very nice to meet you."

Bella shook his hand and replied, "It's very nice to meet you as well, Mr. Cullen."

Emmett bounded into the room, along with one of his assistants. His other assistant stayed in his office to field all the calls for each of our offices. He planted himself at the computer station, logging into the system and pulling up the folders for the divisions we were researching.

"Hey, Bella! How come you call Edward and Dad 'Mr. Cullen', but I'm just Emmett?" he asked, pretending to be offended.

She shrugged her shoulders and put an apologetic look on her face before answering, "Sorry, _Mr. Cullen_."

Dad and Emmett laughed. Dad spoke up and said, "Yes, please just call me Carlisle. It gets too confusing around here with three Mr. Cullens."

The curriers from the departments I had called dropped off the files we needed, and I passed them around the table, explaining what each person needed to be looking for. Bella was going through phone logs, highlighting calls from a list of numbers I gave her. Rosalie was detailing suspicious stock trades. Dad's assistants were meticulously going through accounting records, noting everything that was out of place. Dad was polling through security videos from the suspected time frame, on his laptop. Emmett was logging information into the computer files. I was going through employment records from their Human Resource office, pulling the files of anyone who had the access or capability to harm the company. Emmett's assistant was busy arranging our travel plans with the pilot, going for coffee runs, scanning and photocopying documents we handed her, and reorganizing the stacks of paperwork we were done with.

Everyone settled into a steady working pace. The only sounds that filled the room were the quiet rustling of papers, the tapping on keyboards, the humming of the Xerox machine, and my father's voice during occasional phone calls to our team of lawyers and private investigators. We all worked straight through lunch and hours past our normal leave time.

Around seven thirty, I heard the jiggle of the doorknob. I looked up in time to see Bethy open the door, my mother right behind her. Bethy took a few steps into the room and dropped a basket of something before running towards Isabella, hopping on her lap and chirping, "Izzybelwa!"

Bella responded with a bright smile and greeting. "Jellybean, what are you up to?" She wrapped one arm around Bethy, to hold her on her lap, and continued highlighting the numbers on the paper in front of her. Bethy leaned forward, watching and waiting patiently until Bella reached the end of the page. Bella capped her highlighter and laid it on the table. Then she tapped Bethy on the tip of her nose with her pointer finger, earning a smile and a giggle from Bethy. I couldn't help but notice how natural they looked with each other as I watched them for a moment. I looked up and noticed my Dad's quizzical expression as he glanced at me. I just shrugged my shoulders and mouthed the word, "See?", tipping my head towards the two girls.

"Well, hello to you too, Bethy," I teased, pointing out that she hadn't acknowledged anyone else in the room yet. Bella bit her lip and blushed lightly. Bethy looked up at me, smiled, and explained, "Hi, Daddy! We brought food!" Then, she climbed off Bella's lap and raced to help my mom, who had already started unloading containers from the bags she had set down at the end of the table.

"I thought everyone could use something to eat," Mom said. "How's everything going? Got time for a break?"

Dad was the first one to stand up and speak. "Of course, dear. Thank you." He walked over to her, standing behind her as she continued to unload and open up the dishes. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned into her neck, kissing her softly, just below her ear as he whispered, "That was so very thoughtful of you."

Mom leaned against him and squeezed his arms tighter around her before breaking their embrace. She looked at the rest of us, saying, "Well, come on everyone. Grab a plate before it gets cold." She turned around to pick up the basket Bethy had dropped and placed it on the table, opening it to reveal warm, toasted garlic bread. The other dishes included a large pan of lasagna, a bowl of chicken and broccoli Alfredo, a huge salad, and a jug of tea.

Everyone slid their work towards the center of the table and got up to help themselves to the food. We were all so hungry that there wasn't much conversation, other than a round of compliments praising my mother's cooking. Mom gave Bethy some crayons and paper, and sat with her at the end of the table while we ate. They had already eaten before they came.

After we all finished, everyone helped clean up while Dad and I helped Mom pack up all the dishes. Bethy made her way around the table, giving everyone hugs goodbye. I scooped her up and kissed her, telling her I would see her soon. Dad walked them both to the car, while the rest of us got back to work.

A couple hours later, we had everything together that we needed. Dad thanked everyone for staying so late, and for all their hard work, before sending them home. Dad, Emmett, Rosalie, and I were the only ones who stayed later. A few of the lawyers from our team, and a private investigator, showed up for the second part of our meeting. We went over all the information with them, planned out our strategy for London, and eventually, called it a night.

I stopped by my place to pack my bags and headed straight to Mom and Dad's for a couple hours of rest with Bethy before I had to leave. She was already sleeping in my old bedroom, so I slipped into the bed with her and cuddled her close to me until I had to get up.

Two and a half hours later, the alarm on my phone woke me up. I kissed Bethy on the cheek and left her asleep while I made my way downstairs. Mom was already in the kitchen with Dad, and a plate of eggs and bacon were waiting for me on the table. When I finished my breakfast, Dad and I left together to catch our flight to London on the company plane. We both had gotten only a couple hours of rest, but I knew we would sleep on the long flight over. I really hated to go, but we had to take care of business in order to protect our family financially. The quicker we got it done, the sooner we could get back home to them.


	14. Ch14 The Gokart Track

Chapter 14 BPOV

I turned the radio up, bopping and singing along loudly to every song that came on the whole way back to my apartment. Today had been a good day. No, today had been a great day! Edward and I were finally getting along. He didn't bring up the kiss, but he didn't act all weird like I'd expected either. Which was definitely a good thing. He even opened up to me about Jellybean's mom. I asked him about her, but I didn't really think he would tell me. I guess I expected him to shut down like he usually does, but he didn't. He did look deeply pained when he talked about it though. I had to admit, that story floored me. I had imagined it was a typical 'too young to know what you were doing' story. Or maybe even a 'drunken one night stand mistake' kind of story. At the very most, I thought maybe it had been 'she was the love of his life and died' kind of story, which would have been completely heartbreaking and would have explained his reluctance towards relationships. But his story was so far beyond that. Maybe she was or wasn't the love of his life, but the amount of effort he exhausted trying to keep them together was unbelievable. Even after her betrayal, he was still willing to do _anything_ to make it work. I'm not sure I could have put myself through that if I had been him.

I can't even explain the rage that burned through me when I thought of her hurting him that way. She had no idea the kind of damaged she caused. She had the most wonderful man in the world and simply ripped him to shreds, piece by piece. If he would ever let me, I would superglue him back together again and protect him forever. He said that everyone who matters in his life already knew the story_. Does that mean he thinks I matter now?_

We were both right in saying that he got the very best part of the deal - Jellybean. She is the most amazing little girl I've ever met. I was surprised, but so excited, to see her at the zoo. The day could not have been more perfect.

I caught myself smiling like a Cheshire cat as I walked through the door to the apartment. I was floating on air. I didn't even notice Alice and Jasper sitting on the couch until 'Miss Observant' piped in. "What's got you floating on cloud nine?"

I tried to simmer my exuberance at little before answering her. "Oh, I was just thinking about Jellybean. You should have been there. She was so cute…the way she would 'introduce' us to all of the animals."

Alice looked a bit confused, asking, "What do you mean? Did you pick up Bethany to take her to the zoo with you?"

I chuckled at her question. Why would I pick up Edward's kid to spend the day with? And, why would he let me do that? We barely knew each other. That would have been ridiculous. "No, Alice. Edward and Bethany were already at the zoo when I got there. We ended up hanging out for the day. It was nice."

Jasper raised an eyebrow and joined in the conversation. "Well, that was unexpected. I bet Edward was shocked. Did he freak out or act awkward?"

I thought about it for a second, and answered, "Not really, no. He was actually pretty normal."

Jasper laughed wholeheartedly. "Normal for Edward _is_ freaking out."

I laughed, but decided to change the subject. "What are you guys up to? Just hanging out for the night?"

Alice answered excitedly, "Actually, we were just getting ready to leave. We're going to see that new vampire flick that just came out! You know how I have a thing for vampires! Wanna come?"

I never understood Alice's obsession with vampires. I was never really that interested in them myself. "No thanks! You guys go ahead. I think I'm just going to work on my article so I can have the day off tomorrow."

"Suit yourself," Alice replied, getting off the couch and tugging Jasper with her.

Jasper rolled his eyes and smiled. "See ya later, Bella."

"Bye, guys!" I called out, as they shut the door. I pulled out my laptop and plugged it in by the couch, making myself comfy on the overstuffed cushions. I stared at the blank screen, trying to figure out what to write for my article. When I thought about the zoo, all I could think about was Edward and Jellybean. When I thought about Edward and Jellybean, I couldn't help comparing my life to theirs. There were so many similarities, it was kind of eerie.

Edward and I had both been victims of cheating partners. We had both walked in on said partners. We both knew the pain that kind of betrayal could cause. Unlike Edward though, I didn't even try to work things out. I stormed out of the room and never looked back. I still hadn't spoken to Mike since. He tried to contact me for a long time, but Alice ran interference, and I made sure to avoid him at all costs. Of course, I didn't have a baby on the way to consider, but even then, I don't think I could have faced him after that.

When I saw Edward and Jellybean together, it also made me think of my dad. They were both single fathers, trying to raise a daughter on their own. They had both been hurt by their daughter's mother. Edward protected himself by closing his emotions off to women, never seeing the same girl twice. He replaced relationships with meaningless sex, never getting close to anyone. My dad protected himself by isolating himself from women altogether, never dating anyone. He replaced relationship with fishing. Both men were the same in one big way though. They both loved their daughter fiercely, wanting to provide her with everything they could and protecting her with a passion. My dad would do more than just threaten anyone who hurt me, and I have a feeling Edward would do the same for his daughter.

From the moment I met Jellybean, something between us just connected. Before I even knew her story, I felt like we shared something special. Now it makes even more sense. My own mother had decided she wasn't ready to be a mom and didn't want anything to do with parenthood. It took her a little longer to figure it out, but she left me and Dad when I was four years old.

Some people say that your mind doesn't really form proper memories at that young of an age, but I have to disagree. Especially when it's something traumatic like watching your mom pack all her things into two large suitcases, brushing you off and ignoring you all day until your dad gets home. I can remember her standing by the front door, with her suitcases by her side, ready to run as soon as she heard Dad's cruiser pull into the driveway. I had been upset all day, asking her where she was going and trying to understand the panic in her eyes. When she headed out the door, I grabbed onto her leg, crying and begging her to take me with her. She pulled me off and told Dad to keep me out of her way. He was just as confused as I was, watching her load her suitcases in the car to leave. The last thing she said before she got in the car and drove away was: "I just can't do this anymore, Charlie. I tried, but I just don't want this. I don't want to be stuck in this town, and I don't want to be a mother." I cried in my dad's arms as she drove out of sight. Neither of us ever saw her again. Technically, they're still married, and she's still out there somewhere…not wanting me. Jellybean was at least lucky that she never knew her mom. Unfortunately, there would probably come a day when she would ask what happened. How was anyone suppose to explain to her that her mom didn't want her? Even though Edward and his family loved her more than anything in the world, rejection from a mother you never even knew could still be devastating. I hoped that day never came.

My thoughts drifted back to happier moments - Jellybean's sweet smile and bright eyes as she introduced us to all the animals. The shocked look on her face when we got too close to the huge gorilla. Her bubbly laughter, watching the monkeys play. The excitement in her voice when she asked Edward for a baby giraffe for Christmas. Her childhood innocence as she chased around the ducks, throwing chunks of bread at their heads.

The fish swimming around on my computer screen reminded me that I hadn't touched the keyboard. After using the bathroom and getting a drink, I finally found the concentration to write my article. It ended up being one of my favorite pieces so far. I printed it off and went to bed.

The next morning, I decided to use my day off and do absolutely nothing. I threw on some yoga pants and a tank top, grabbed some junk food, and planted myself in front of the TV for most of the day. I watched reruns of all my old favorite shows, took a nap in the middle of the day, and challenged the _Jeopardy _contestants, unsuccessfully. I totally kicked ass in _Wheel of Fortune _though! After frying my brain with all-day-long television, I soaked up some bubbles in the bath tub and grabbed a good book to read in bed.

Even with all the rest I'd gotten on Sunday, I was still running a few minutes late Monday morning. When I rushed out of the elevator and into the office, Edward was standing right in front of my desk. I had completely forgotten to worry about how he would react to me at work, but he quickly took away any concerns by greeting me cheerfully. He was polite and friendly, and then straight to business. I realized this was the best response I could have hoped for.

My pleasant day quickly turned sour as soon as I returned from lunch. I spent most of my lunch hour dropping off my assignment at the _Times_, but I had a few minutes to grab a cup of yogurt from the company cafeteria. While I was in line to pay, Jessica approached me with her 'gossip-ready face' on.

"So, you and Cullen, huh?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Completely confused, I answered her question with a question. "What?"

"You and Edward. Are you guys a couple now?"

"What are you talking about, Jessica? Why would you think we were a couple?"

Her eyes grew big and she studied me for a moment. Then, narrowing her eyes, she asked, "You really don't know?"

All I could do was shake my head. She wasn't making any sense right now.

"You haven't seen the _Inquisitor_? The picture of you, Edward, and his daughter having a picnic? It's on the front page. Says you're in love with each other."

My eyes shot open even wider. "Ohmygod! Are you serious?"

"Of course I'm serious! Why would I be joking about something like this? And how would I have known you three had a picnic together?" Jessica huffed, clearly getting frustrated with my lack of information.

"Uh, no…I mean, what? I haven't seen any pictures of us in any paper, but there is nothing going on between us. I just happened to run into them at the zoo and we shared a lunch. Believe me, we're definitely not a couple in love."

She didn't look like she believed me, but she let it drop. _She'll probably be spreading it around to anyone who will listen as soon as I'm gone._

I took my yogurt cup and headed back to the office. There was no way I was going to eat in the cafeteria with that kind of gossip on the loose. A few minutes after I finished eating at my desk, the private elevator opened up and an extremely handsome, blonde gentleman exited and headed straight for Edward's office. I looked to Rosalie and she mouthed, "That's Carlisle, Edward's dad." _Oh, wow. He certainly aged well! _About ten minutes later, he left, nodding in our direction and adding a "Good afternoon, ladies."

The rest of the day, I sat at my desk and worried about the picture Jessica had told me about. When Edward was on his way out, I noticed a newspaper folded underneath his arm. He frowned at me, and I was sure he was pissed. I hurried to explain…or well, apologize for interfering in his life. I knew better, after that speech in his office on my first day. But surprisingly, he didn't seem too upset. I think he even tried to make a joke about it._ Huh, maybe there is hope for him after all_. He even seemed concerned that I might suffer some criticism over it. I decided not to tell him I already had.

On the way home, I stopped to buy a copy of the gossip magazine. I had no trouble finding it. Our picture took up half the front page! Luckily, the man behind the news stand didn't even look up to notice me when I paid.

As soon as I walked in the front door, Alice came barreling at me and shouting, "You're famous, Bella!" She was waving a copy of the magazine and holding out a marker for me to sign it. _Crazy girl_. I rolled my eyes and signed it for her. She giggled and asked, "How are you, really? Did you catch hell from the boss over this?"

"You know, Alice? He was completely cool about it." I threw my arms up in the air and let out a long breath. "I have no idea what he really thinks about it, but I'm not gonna push to find out. How was your day? Where's Jasper?" Jasper had become such a permanent fixture around here, it seemed weird when he was gone.

"Working at the restaurant tonight. I'm gonna head down there in a few minutes. Wanna come with me? I'm just going to eat dinner and come home."

"No, you go ahead. I almost want to, but I'm so thoroughly exhausted, I think I'm gonna call it an early night and get some rest." _I really just wanted to be alone with this magazine for a while._

As soon as she left, I carried the paper to my room and fell back on my bed. I read the article about ten times and stared at the picture for about an hour. I laughed to myself, thinking…_it really is a good picture_. If it wouldn't have make me look like a complete lunatic, I would have cut it out and framed it. _Oh, well, the drawer to my nightstand will have to do for now._

Wednesday, an emergency meeting was called at work, and we all ended up staying really late. Esme showed up with the most wonderful food, and I got a hug goodbye from Jellybean. _The night wasn't all bad_. The next morning Edward and Carlisle had to leave for London. I felt really bad for them; I knew it wasn't going to be an easy trip.

Thursday morning Rosalie answered a phone call from the escort service I had booked for Edward. I could tell there was some problem by her response. As soon as she hung up, she practically shouted, "Bella, I can't believe you messed this up! That was the escort service. You apparently scheduled it for the wrong day! They didn't notice anything was wrong, until they were going over today's bookings and saw it was scheduled for tonight. They usually keep track of all the prominent social events, and were very apologetic that they hadn't pick up on it sooner. Luckily, they caught it before they sent someone out. They aren't going to charge for a missed booking, but unfortunately, they are already booked for the twentieth. I doubt we can find anyone else on this short of a notice either."

"Rosalie, I'm so sorry. I can't believe I made that mistake either! I don't know what happened." I can't believe I messed up so badly, just when things were going so well. _Edward's probably going to be really pissed off at me._

Rosalie noticed I was starting to panic and eased up a bit. "Bella, calm down. I didn't mean to freak out on you. Let's just see if one of the other services has anyone available before we start to worry."

We quickly made the calls to the other two services in her rolodex, with no luck. She refused to call any of the other agencies in town, stating that they weren't as reputable, and she was afraid it would end up being an even bigger disaster.

"What are we going to do, Rosalie? He's going to be really mad, isn't he?"

"Probably. I'm not going to call him while he's in London, disturbing important business with this mini crisis. We'll just have to wait until he gets back and see what he wants to do about it. I would offer to go myself, but I'll already be there with Emmett. Maybe Edward knows someone he could ask. Who knows?"

"I guess." I still felt really bad. I would offer to go, but I'm sure he wouldn't think that was a very good idea.

The rest of the week was pretty quiet. Since two of the big bosses were out of town, there wasn't much work for us to do. I talked to Rosalie and Emmett and invited them to hang out with me for my next assignment. It was at a go-kart track. I thought it would be a fun place to go with a group of people. I had also invited Alice and Jasper, and Alice told Jacob to come along as well.

Saturday, around noon, we all met up at the track. It was called 'Karts & 'Cades. The outside consisted of three different tracks. A junior track for all ages, a drag strip track for short speed races, and a huge NASCAR style track for the faster adult carts. There was also a section of bumper boats, but it was closed until the summer. The inside of the building held a huge arcade. It was outfitted with every possible game that existed.

"Sup, Dudes! Who's ready to rock this track?" Emmett barked out loudly.

"Hell yeah!" Jacob and Jasper shouted together.

We got our group checked in and were handed our racing gear, helmets and light zip-up suits. Everyone paid for a day pass, so we could race as many times as we wanted to. We had to attend a fifteen-minute briefing of the rules, safety, and operation of the karts. Then we headed out to the track.

We started out at the Junior track, much to the protest of the guys. I persuaded them by saying that I needed to try out everything for my article, and starting small would be like a warm up to get use to the karts. The junior karts only reached a speed of twenty-five MPH and the track time was half the time of the adult track, about ten minutes. Rosalie came in first place for our race. It was fun, but the guys were chomping-at-the-bit to get to the 'real track'.

We were waiting in line at the adult track for our group to be called up. All of the guys looked like little boys on Christmas morning, watching with excitement in their eyes as the other racers sped around the track.

"Alright, Bella. Get ready to be schooled!" Emmett teased.

"I don't know, Emmett. Back in Forks, Bella was the little speed demon in town. None of the cops wanted to pull her over because she was the Chief's daughter. She might give you a run for your money!" Alice teased back.

He got a mischievous look in his eyes and challenged, "Oh, Bella! Care to make a little wager? Loser has to bow down and greet the winner as 'Your Highness' for a month."

Rosalie smacked him in the back of the head. In a tone that displayed ignorance and innocence, he asked, "What?"

We all laughed and he relented. "Okay, fine. Twenty bucks?"

I knew he would probably beat me, but he was having too much fun to let him down. "Sure, twenty bucks. But don't come crying to me when you don't have lunch money this week," I teased.

Our group was up, and we all jumped in our karts. It was a twenty minute race, and the adult karts topped out at about 85 MPH, so this was a lot more different than the Junior track. It took a little getting use to, but soon we were all flying around the track at top speeds, having a great time. Eighty-five MPH in a small kart, with people zooming all around you, really made you feel like a true race car driver. Jacob and Emmett tied for first place, and Alice and I were headed up the rear.

"Ha! You owe me twenty bucks, Bella!" Emmett exclaimed as he was exiting his kart.

"What? That was just a warm up. We've got all day. Best time wins!" I countered.

Emmett laughed and agreed. He was quickly back in line to go again. By the third race, I came in second, right behind Emmett. I finally acknowledged defeat and we all decided to try the drag strip instead. That was a lot of fun too, but Emmett threw a fit because he kept getting disqualified for jumping the light. I guess his excitement made him overeager to win. After a few trials, the guys wanted to go back to the adult track, and the girls decided to try the Junior track one more time.

Alice, Rosalie, and I raced each other a couple of times before we ended up just watching the guys. They were so funny and competitive. They ended up having their own bets going, each competing for the top pole position and best time. Jacob ended up winning, but Jasper was the most consistent with his times.

Once everyone was all raced out, we decided to grab lunch at the snack bar. Then we checked out the arcade for a bit. I found an old Pac Man machine and had to try it out. Alice and Jasper played skeet ball, Jacob and Emmett raced against each other in simulators, and Rosalie was drawn to the pinball machines. We wasted a bunch of money, and about two hours, playing games. I beat Emmett in air hockey. Alice walked away with a giant stuffed panda she claimed with all the tickets her and Jasper had won. Before we left, I made a quick trip to the manager's office and left him my business card explaining who I was.

We were walking through the parking lot when Emmett spoke up, "Damn, I haven't had that much fun in a long time. Too bad Ed couldn't be here. Little bro could use a day to act like a kid again."

Hearing that, made my heart go out to Edward. I know it must be hard being a single dad at such a young age. And running a giant corporation wasn't all fun and games either. I didn't think he was exactly miserable with his life, but I remembered why he wasn't here right now - emergency business in London.

"I'm sure it's not that bad, Emmett. Hey…why aren't you the next in charge under Carlisle? You're the older son, right?" I had wondered that before, but never asked anyone.

"Yeah, I'm older, but Edward's more grown up, I guess. Then again, I guess he had to grow up faster, having Bethy and all. As soon as she was born, he decided he wanted to be able to provide for her on his own. He took Dad up on his offer for the job and hasn't slowed down since. I didn't start working at the company until a year after Edward had taken his seat as second in charge. After college, I was still running around sowing my wild oats, I guess you could say. It wasn't until I started working there and met Rosie, that I gave in and let her tame me." He gave a wink over his shoulder to Rosalie, who smiled back.

"Well, we'll just have to come back sometime…when we're all together," Jasper added in, clapping Emmett on the shoulder as he and Alice made their way to her car.

I thanked everyone for coming with me, before we separated in the parking lot. Everyone, except me and Jacob, was heading over to the Cullen's to keep Esme and Bethy company. We were invited to go too, but I didn't want to press my luck by getting more involved in Edward's personal life. Things were finally going good between us, and I didn't want to mess it up.

"What do you want to do now? Feel like hanging out a little longer?" Jacob asked.

"Sure. Do you mind just hanging out at my place though? I think I've had enough outside entertainment for the day. We can watch some movies and order take out if you like."

Jacob smiled and agreed. "Sounds like a good idea. See ya there." He walked me to my car and held the door while I got in. Before he shut the door, he smirked and said, "Drive safe!" Then, he kissed me on the cheek and headed to his own car.

The entire drive back to my apartment, I thought about the talk Jacob and I needed to have to have as soon as we got there. I had a lot of fun with him today, but I didn't want him to expect more than a good friendship from me. I was probably crazy for giving up on something more with him, but my heart knew what it wanted, and I didn't want to lead him on. Even though we hadn't known each other that long, he reminded me of the 'best friend next door' type. Someone you grew up with and had lots of fun with, but never took it farther because it would be too weird, like kissing your brother or something.

I popped a DVD in the player and took a seat beside Jacob on the couch. He reached over and held my hand. I took a deep breath and gently pulled my hand back. "Jacob, before we continue on with our evening, I think we need to have a conversation about where we both see things going between us."

Jacob let out an easy sigh and turned his body to face me. "Look, I'm not trying to rush you into any kind of serious relationship. But I really like being with you. We can just enjoy hanging out together and see where it goes."

"Here's the thing, Jacob. I don't really see this going any farther than good friends. I really like being around you too, but the spark for anything romantic just isn't there. I hope I don't have to give you up as a friend, but I don't want to lead you on or give you false hopes either," I explained.

Jacob nodded his head in understanding. "No, I get it. You don't need to say anything else. I saw the picture in the magazine the other day. A picture speaks a thousand words, right?"

I was stunned for a minute, not expecting this conversation to include my feelings for Edward. I recovered quickly enough to respond, "No, Jacob. That's not it. This doesn't have anything to do with Edward. There honestly isn't anything going on between us. And, you're a great guy. Really. I guess I'm just not emotionally available right now. I wanted to be honest with you."

He just smiled and replied, "Maybe there isn't anything going on…yet. But I think the reason you're not emotionally available right now is because you _want_ something to be going on between you two. He's a really lucky guy, Bella. We can still be friends, if you want to. Just know, if you change your mind…I'd be happy to let our friendship grow into something more one day."

I decided not to even try to argue about my feelings for Edward. Jacob could tell. Instead, I graciously accepted Jacob's offer of friendship. "Thanks, Jacob. I really would like to be friends. And just so you know - whenever you find _your_ 'Miss Right', she'll be the lucky one."

"Thanks, Bella. So, you mentioned ordering some take out?" Jacob graced me with his brilliant smile, and let the conversation drop.

I grabbed the Thai menu from the kitchen drawer, and we ordered a mix of different foods to share. After joking and laughing through a couple comedies, and emptying all the contents of the take out containers into our stomachs, we called it a night and agreed to call each other if we wanted a friend to hang out with sometime.


	15. Ch15 The Ball

Chapter 15 BPOV

Sunday, I wrote my article and went to lunch with Alice. She felt bad that we haven't had a lot of girl time lately. I understood that her and Jasper were just starting out in a relationship, and it's to be expected that they spend a lot of time together. I did miss our best friend talks though, so it was nice to catch up with her.

Alice spent the first half of our lunch talking about Jasper and how wonderful he is. Then we spent the second half of lunch dissecting my personal life. I told her about the talk with Jacob the night before, and surprisingly, she agreed that it was the best thing to do. I thought she would have been a little more disappointed in me giving up on something romantic with him so easily. But, just like Jacob, she had her own suspicions about my feelings towards Edward. I didn't outright deny them, but I couldn't let myself tell her how much I really was falling for him either.

"Bella, I know you've been attracted to him for a long time. Best friends, remember? Even though you don't want to admit it, I can tell that this is more than just a sexual attraction now. And, that's cool. I told you I thought Edward was a good guy underneath, and Jazz wouldn't talk so highly of him if he wasn't. I know he's been hurt. You both have. I think you two might be good for each other."

"God, Alice. You have no idea. There are definitely some pretty strong emotions involved; it actually scares me to death. I know I'd love to try for a relationship with him. I'm just worried he isn't capable of that. Not to mention that I work for him…Oh, speaking of working for him - I completely screwed up the other day. I booked an escort for the wrong day and now it's too late to get a new one. He doesn't even know yet. I guess he'll find out tomorrow."

Alice perked up with a mischievous smile on her face. "Why don't…"

I had to stop her before she finished voicing her devious idea. "No, Alice. Don't even say it. You're not going to suggest I go with him. He'll probably think I planned this whole thing on purpose and hate me for it."

She rolled her eyes dramatically and continued anyway, "Bella, he's not going to hate you for anything. It _was_ an accident, and you'd only be offering to make up for your mistake. He doesn't have to accept your offer. He could always invite someone else, or just go alone. It won't hurt to offer."

"Maybe, but it's this weekend. Remember? We were planning a trip home to Forks this weekend. We already have our tickets, and it's probably too late to switch them."

Alice pulled out her Blackberry and typed a few keys. "Nope. They were open tickets. I can easily call and switch them to next weekend. Try again."

"Well, Dad might not be able to get next weekend off. I wouldn't want to waste the trip if he has to work the whole time." I tried another avenue, in vain.

"Charlie's the Chief. He sets the schedule. Any other excuses?"

I clenched my teeth together and shook my head before giving in. "Okay, you win. Let's wait until tomorrow and see what he comes up with first. If I _have_ to…I'll offer to go."

She smiled as if she just won the lottery. "That's all I ask, Bella."

We finished our lunch and headed home. I stopped by the drycleaners on the way, to pick up some work clothes I had dropped off last week. I also stopped by the grocery store and picked up a few things for lunch the coming week. After that tabloid photo hit the stands, I didn't feel comfortable eating in the cafeteria anymore.

When I got home, I made some egg salad sandwiches and a batch of fudge brownies to pack in mine and Alice's lunch the next day. I bagged two lunches and moved hers to the front of the refrigerator shelf with a note on it.

Monday morning, I arrived about twenty minutes early with nervous butterflies in my stomach. Rosalie was already there, but she said Edward would be coming in a little bit late. For the next two hours, I busied myself with setting up conference rooms and filing.

Around ten o'clock, Edward stepped off the elevator, looking a little worse for wear. His hair was messier than usual, and his eyes looked tired. He walked over to Rosalie's desk and picked up the schedule book, looking it over.

"How's it going, Edward?" Rosalie asked.

"I'm still pretty exhausted from the trip, but at least we took care of everything we needed to do in London." His voice was a little hoarse, and he sounded like he hadn't slept all weekend.

"Sorry to hear that. I know you probably don't feel like dealing with anything extra right now, but uh…there's something we need to tell you about…" Rosalie looked to me to finish. _Thanks a lot! But, I guess it was my fault anyway_.

I stood up and stepped around my desk. Edward turned to face me, waiting to be filled in. Nervously, I started to explain, "Well, uh…last week, I booked your escort service for the hospital fundraiser ball this Saturday, and I accidentally booked the wrong day. By the time we realized it, it was too late to book another one."

He didn't say a word. He just stared at me like I had more to say, so I started to apologize. "I'm really sorry. It was my mistake. I don't know what happened. Do you have anyone else you could take? I really am…"

He held up his hand to interrupt me. "Don't worry about it. It's fine."

Rosalie decided to interject. "Edward, maybe Emmett or Jasper knows someone…"

"I said don't worry about it." He shook his head, looking too tired to stand up. He didn't sound upset, but maybe he was just too exhausted to argue.

I felt so bad, I just couldn't let it go. "Edward, I really do feel bad. I could go with you, if you want. I could go as your assistant…or friend, or whatever. I don't know, but I'd like to be able to make up for my mistake."

"Okay."

"Okay? You'll let me go with you?" I didn't expect it to be that simple, truthfully.

"Bella, I thought you and Alice were going to Washington to see your dad this weekend," Rosalie added.

"Um, no. We decided to go next weekend instead," I quickly corrected her.

"Bella, it's fine. If you already have plans…" Edward started to say.

"No, I don't. Please? Just let me do this. I want to go." Suddenly, I really, really wanted to go.

"Okay," he said again.

The phone rang and Rosalie answered it, "Good morning. Edward Cullen's office. Oh, hi, Esme! Yep, hold on just a second." Rosalie held the phone towards us, and Edward started to reach for it. "Oh, sorry, Edward. She asked for Bella." His forehead crinkled, and he stepped out of the way so I could take the call.

"Esme? Hi, it's Bella," I answered. "Well, it does sound like a good cause and something I would probably be interested in. Let me check with Edward first, and I'll get back to you…Okay, thanks. Bye."

I hung up and looked at Edward, who had a questioning look on his face. "That was your mom…well, yeah. She wanted me to get involved in some kind of kid's charity she helps run. I wanted to make sure you were okay with it. I mean, I didn't want to cross any lines or anything. I can tell her I'm not interested or don't have enough time if you'd prefer me not to work with her."

"Bella, you don't need my permission. All of my mom's charities are very well deserving, so if one of them is something you'd be interested in helping out with, by all means…" Edward motioned towards the phone for me to return his mother's call. "I'll be in my office until my first conference, Rosalie. Bella, I'll get with you later about the ball."

"Okay," was my response as he walked away. Rosalie stared after him with huge eyes. I had to admit, he was acting much different than the Edward I had come to know.

I went back to my desk and called Esme back. She filled me in on more of the details and what I could do to help out. It was a charity for childhood literacy. It involved reading groups, book clubs, and story times with the kids. The organization had also been looking into setting up a writer's corner with workshops for the kids to learn creative writing skills. That was why she thought I might be interested. They met every Tuesday at seven to plan after school and weekend events for the kids. She told me it was strictly voluntary, and I could spend as little or as much time as I wanted being involved. I decided to try it out and told her I'd see her at the meeting tomorrow night.

On my lunch hour, I ran down to the _Times_, turned in my stuff, and picked up my new assignment. I made it back in time to eat my bag lunch at my desk before my hour was up. The rest of the day seemed to crawl by. I was excited to get home and let Alice know my offer to attend the ball had been made and accepted. And then, beg her for fashion help.

I opened the apartment door, yelling, "Alice! Alice! Help!" I turned the corner and spotted Jasper sitting on the couch. "Hi, Jasper! Where's Alice?"

He laughed and replied, "Hi, Bella! In the kitchen."

I rushed into the kitchen just as Alice was pulling a chicken and rice casserole out of the oven. "Alice, you have to help me! I did what you said and offered to go to the fundraiser with Edward, and he accepted. Now what do I do? I need something to wear…and hair and make-up help. I don't even know how I'm suppose to act. I've never been to anything this fancy before…ugh, what did I get myself into?"

Alice smiled and said, "Relax, Bella. I brought home the perfect dress for you today. And shoes to match. We'll figure out what to do with your hair and make-up. Trust me, you'll look perfect." She motioned me out of the room, and I followed her to her bedroom where she unveiled the most beautiful evening gown I'd ever seen. It was royal blue, silky material, with sheer fabric draped beautifully around the modest bust line. It had dainty spaghetti straps that crossed in the back. It curved in at the waist and hung loosely below the hips. The dress flowed eloquently to the floor with a small train at the back. She pointed to the simple but amazing shoes sitting on the floor next to where the dress was hanging. They matched perfectly, with small heels and tiny rhinestone-covered buckles on the straps.

"Alice, how did you know…" I just found out I would be needing these things a few hours ago, and she had already secured the perfect outfit for me.

She shrugged her shoulders and answered, "Call it a hunch. Honestly, Bella, did you really think Edward would turn down your offer?"

I shook my head, completely amazed by her ability to predict people's actions. "I kind of did. He totally shocked me when he agreed so easily. But, this is perfect, Alice. Really. What would I do without you? Thank you so much!"

"Of course, Bella. What are best friends for? This was one of the demo dresses for a new line of evening wear by that new top designer at work. It's yours to keep. After you try it on, I can make any alterations it needs, but I think it will fit just fine."

I wrapped her in a hug. She laughed and said, "Come on. Let's go eat dinner and talk about everything we need to have you ready by Saturday."

The three of us ate together. Jasper simply sat there, quietly amused as he listened to all the plans Alice was making for me. Apparently, my whole week was going to be full. I had to interject twice, to tell her about my meeting for the charity and my new assignment.

Jasper cleaned up after dinner, so Alice and I could get started with the dress fitting. The only thing it needed was a couple inches taken off the bottom. Alice pinned it and said she could have it finished after work the next day.

The following day at work went well. Edward let me know that he would pick me up at five-thirty on Saturday. After work, I stopped by Panera to eat before heading to the library for my meeting with Esme's charity group. The meeting was held in one of the library's conference rooms. Esme introduced me to all the ladies in the group. Everyone was very nice. I could tell they were devoted wholeheartedly to the charity. I helped suggest a few books for the different aged book clubs. We finished up planning the Halloween party in which I signed up to work the face painting booth. I also volunteered to run the creative writing corner on the first Thursday of each month.

Wednesday, I tried on the dress after Alice had altered it; it fit perfectly. Then, we went out for the first half of my spa treatment, the brutal waxing. Alice said it had to be done a few days ahead of time, so the redness and swelling would be gone by the time of the ball.

Thursday, I needed to do my work assignment for the _Times_. Alice decided to go with me, so we could shop for sexy undergarments to wear with my dress. According to Alice, you cannot be beautiful on the outside until you feel beautiful underneath.

My work assignment was a place called The Pottery Pallet, a shop where you made your own creations. It was pretty cool. I've always wanted to try out those big pottery wheels where you spin a lump of clay into a beautiful vase. Yeah, it looks so much easier than it really is. It took me several tries, with the guidance of the store employee, to end up with an 'almost not crooked' vase. Alice made a large fruit bowl to go with my vase. We etched a few designs into the clay, using a little scalpel thing, and painted our pieces in blue and yellow tones. The shop glazes and fires them for you after you're done. Our pieces would be ready to pick up sometime next week.

We went to a couple high-end lingerie shops on the way home and found the perfect set for me to wear Saturday. It was a black lace, strapless bra and matching bottoms.

Friday completed the second half of my spa treatment, a facial and mani/pedi.

I had my fingernails and toenails done in white French tips. Alice also made me buy an expensive bottle of body moisturizer.

After my practically weeklong preparations, I settled into some comfy clothes, ordered take out, and went to bed early.

Saturday morning, Jasper made breakfast for the three of us while I took a nice, long, hot shower. I was able to relax until about four o'clock when Alice started getting me ready. We were almost done when we heard a knock at the door. My whole body had been moisturized. I had on my sexy underwear and gorgeous dress. My hair had been straightened, neatly swept across my forehead, and smoothly wound into a classic French twist in the back. It was secured by a sapphire and diamond hair comb that belonged to my grandmother. Eyeliner, mascara, light blush, and satin feeling lip stain had been applied.

Alice cracked my bedroom door and called out, "Jazz, can you get the door? Bella will be out in just a minute." She helped me put in the sapphire, teardrop earrings I had gotten from my dad for my birthday one year.

"Wait, Alice. We should have gotten a necklace while we were out shopping. I didn't even think about it," I complained, slipping my shoes on.

"Don't worry, Bella. You'll look perfect; I promise. Now, let's get you out there before you're late. And remember to have fun tonight. Jazz and I are staying at his place, so I won't see you when you get home. But, I want to hear all about it tomorrow!"

I walked out to greet Edward and almost passed out. He was busy talking to Jasper, but as soon as he noticed me, his eyes never left mine. All the air left my lungs, and I started to feel dizzy from forgetting to breathe. I'd seen Edward looking like a sexy rock star, dressed casually at the zoo, wearing suits and dress clothes for work, but nothing could have prepared me for the sight of Edward in a tuxedo.

Alice nudged me from behind and whispered, "Breathe, Bella."

I regained my senses enough to speak, "Hi, Edward. Wow, you look really amazing tonight."

Edward kept staring at me for a minute, shook his head slightly, and replied, "Thanks. You look…incredible, breathtaking…there are no words to describe…" His thoughts trailed off as he reached into his coat pocket, and pulled out a light blue, rectangular box with the Tiffany's logo on it. Opening up the box, he started talking again. "I wanted to get you something nice to go with your dress, so I had Rosalie check with Alice to see what you would be wearing." He held the open box towards me, and I froze, speechless.

Alice came to my rescue by exclaiming, "Wow! Bella, isn't it beautiful? Here, let me help you put it on." She pulled the necklace from the box and stood behind me, fastening it securely.

My hand came up to touch the exquisite piece of jewelry as my eyes fell down to see it sparkle. It was a dainty, white gold chain with a V shaped design of sapphires and diamonds, ending in a teardrop sapphire. I had no idea how much this piece must have cost. I wanted to tell him it was too much, but I thought that would probably be insulting and ungrateful. Instead, I looked up at him and said, "Thank you. It's absolutely beautiful. I love it!"

He smiled a very pleased smile and extended his bent arm to me. "Are you ready to go?"

I held onto his arm and grabbed my keys, trying to figure out what to do with them. Alice spoke up. "Oh, I forgot about a purse, but you don't need to carry anything else with you. Why don't you just leave the keys in the car, or Edward could carry them?"

Edward reached for the keys, saying, "Here, give them to me and I'll lock them in the glove box when we get in the car." I handed him my keys, and we both said goodbye to Alice and Jasper as we left.

Outside, I looked around for the black Volvo SUV he had driven to the zoo, but he started walking towards a silver Vanquish instead. I must have looked surprised, because he chuckled and asked, "What? You didn't think I would take you to a fundraiser ball in a Volvo, did you?"

I bit my lip and blushed a little, shaking my head. He opened the door for me and held my hand to help me get in. He waited for me to make sure the bottom of my dress was out of the way, and shut the door. When he got in the car, he leaned over and locked my keys in the glove box before driving off.

He turned the radio on softly, to break the silence. Neither one of us knew what to say on the drive there. I don't know why I felt so nervous. My palms were starting to get sweaty, and my heart was beating faster. _Calm down, Bella! It's not like this is even a real date._

As we were pulling up to the building, he turned the radio down and offered, "We can avoid the media circus that's always hanging around outside these events if we take the side entrance. Unless you want to walk through all that." He motioned to the line of photographers near the front and raised an eyebrow, waiting my response.

I shook my head 'no' and answered, "The side entrance would be great."

He nodded in agreement and came around to open my door. We took the side entrance, avoiding the frenzy of photographers, and found our way to the ballroom. As soon as we entered, we were greeted by the staff, directing us to our table. It was a round table near the front of the room. The words 'The Cullen Corporation' were scripted on a sign below the centerpiece. Each place setting had name cards marking the seats. I noticed the six names at the table were Carlisle Cullen, Esme Cullen, Emmett Cullen, Rosalie Hale, Edward Cullen, and Isabella Swan. _At least I would be comfortable sitting with people I already knew. _

Instead of taking our seats, Edward placed his hand on my lower back and guided me toward the other end of the room. There was a row of long tables with various items arranged on them. Next to each item, there was a small box and a stack of note cards. Before I could ask, a waiter carrying a tray of filled wine glasses past by. Edward took a glass and offered it to me. Then he accepted another one for himself.

He gestured toward the table. "The first hour of the evening is the cocktail hour. It gives the guests time to arrive and bid on the auction items while socializing. See anything interesting?"

We walked the length of the tables, looking over all the items up for auction. There were so many different things. Some of it was jewelry, season tickets to sporting events, paintings, crystal vases, autographed memorabilia, gift certificates to specialty shops and restaurants, and vacation packages. The only thing I would probably be interested in would be the vacations, but I knew better than to think I could afford to bid on any of it.

"Do you have to bid on something?" I asked Edward.

He chuckled and answered, "No. You don't have to bid on anything, unless you see something you actually want. Then, the cost isn't the issue because it all goes to the charity."

I looked around the room at the elaborate decorations. Considering how much they must have spent decorating this place, they shouldn't have needed to have a fundraiser if they had just kept their money. I felt bad for not being more generous, even though a couple months ago, I was unemployed and almost a charity case myself.

"So, if no one bids on this stuff, they won't raise any money?" It was probably a stupid question, but I didn't know how those things worked.

Edward just smiled and said, "Don't worry. The auction isn't the only way they raise money. Dinner costs twenty thousand a plate, so you better make sure you eat every bite. Wouldn't want to waste my money." He winked at me before leading me away from the auction tables.

I held onto Edward's arm, following him around the room and only letting go when he stopped to speak to someone or introduce me. We had another glass of wine and several of the fancy appetizers being passed out.

By seven o'clock, everyone was seated and dinner was served. There was light banter and table conversation while we ate. It was so delicious, I had no problem finishing every last bite. Even though I knew Edward was just joking with that comment earlier, I still nudged his knee under the table, tipping my head towards my plate and smiling as if to say, "See, I ate it all." Edward burst into a sweet laughter and leaned in close to my ear to whisper, "Good girl." For some reason that made me blush a bit.

After dinner, the lights were dimmed even more, and the music volume picked up. Couples made their way to the dance floor while the dining tables were being cleared.

Edward leaned in again and asked, "Care to join me on the dance floor?" I nodded and took his hand to follow him.

We danced to a few slow songs before joining Esme and Rosalie back at the table. Edward spotted his dad and Emmett talking to someone near the end of the room. He excused himself to go join them, and I involved myself in conversation with Rosalie and his mom.

"Are you enjoying yourself tonight, Bella?" Esme asked.

"Yes, definitely. Did you have a hand in putting this whole thing together?"

She shook her head and answered, "No. Not this year. I usually try to help out, but this time I was just so involved in my other charities that I didn't have time. It did turn out nice though. They really outdid themselves."

Rosalie and Esme started talking about last year's ball, and I drifted out of the conversation, taking time to look around the room. When my eyes landed on someone sitting several tables away, I started to panic. _There's no way. What would he be doing here? _The face looked up at me and smirked. Shit! Mike Newton was sitting across the room, and now he knows I'm here. I excused myself to the lady's room to try to calm down.

The bathroom was overcrowded, and being around all those strangers did not help to calm my nerves. I slipped out the door and noticed a set of French doors leading to a balcony. It looked pretty secluded, so I rushed over and found comfort in the crisp night air. I took several deep breaths, trying to relax. I ran through my options in my head and decided that the best thing to do would be to go find Edward and tell him I'm not feeling well. I'm sure he'd be willing to leave early, and I could effectively avoid Mike, once again.

Just as I turned to execute my plan, Mike emerged through the doorway and began confronting me. "Well, hello there, Bella. It's been a long time. You know, I tried, unsuccessfully, to get a hold of you so many times since we last saw each other."

There was no avoiding him now; I was going to have to talk to him. "I know, Mike. I didn't want to talk to you then, and I still don't now."

He took a step forward, and I took a step back. He sneered and said, "Of course you knew. I knew you were avoiding me on purpose, but I figured after some time, you would come to your senses and let me back into your life. We were good together, Bella."

I couldn't help but laugh sarcastically at that. "No, Mike. You were cheating on me the whole time we were together. There was nothing good about that! Why would you even think I would want you in my life again?"

Mike rolled his eyes as if I was being ridiculous. "It was college, Bella! That's what goes on in college. Those girls didn't mean anything to me. But you and I had something special. I can't believe you're still not over this." Mike reached out to grab my arm and was interrupted by someone angrily clearing their throat.

We both looked over at Edward as he spoke. "Is everything alright out here?" He looked at me for an answer, but Mike spoke up instead, "Everything is fine. I believe you're interrupting a private conversation between me and my ex-girlfriend."

Edward remained facing Mike, but diverted his eyes to glance at me. I know I must have looked upset, because he quickly looked back at Mike and replied, "No. I believe _you_ are interrupting the wonderful evening I'm having with _my_ date." Edward reached out his hand for me to go with him. I took his hand, and we started to walk away.

Mike was too stupid to let it go. "I tried to apologize to you, Bella. It's not my fault you're too childish to let it go."

I felt Edward tense beside me. Before he could say anything, I turned towards Mike and said, "Goodbye, Mike. You know how I feel about everything, and I don't ever want to have this conversation again."

Again, before we could leave, he had to push more buttons. "You know, if you couldn't handle what I did, you really made a stupid mistake hooking up with New York's biggest playboy here. But, I guess you deserve it. He'll just fuck you and move on to the next batch of willing whores!"

There was no stopping what happened next. Edward slid his arm in front of me, gently moving me out of the way, and simultaneously punched Mike square in the nose. Mike flew backwards, shouting and grabbing his bloody nose as he fell to the floor. Edward quickly took my hand and rushed us through the ballroom. Before we left through the side door, he ducked into the bathroom to, I'm assuming, wash Mike's blood off his hands.

Once we were outside, he let go of my hand and paced back and forth in front of me for a minute. He ran his fingers through his hair, tugging on the ends as he closed his eyes and let out a heavy breath. Then, he looked at me with eyes full of concern. "Are you okay, Isabella?"

I bit my lip and nodded. He motioned for me to sit down on the steps before joining me. I could feel the tears wanting to fall, but I held them back. I wouldn't shed one more tear over Mike fucking Newton. He had already hurt me enough. We both sat there in silence for a few minutes, not knowing what to say after that fiasco.

Edward shifted his body, turning towards me, and brushed his thumb across my cheekbone. I slowly tilted my head toward his touch. He finally decided to break the silence by saying, "You know he's wrong, don't you? Everything he said…"

I tried to dispel his concern, "I know you're not like that." I started shaking my head. "I mean, we aren't even together like that anyway…and, I wouldn't think those things even…"

Edward stilled my movements by placing his fingers under my jaw and gently holding my chin under his thumb. "No, not that. All the things he said about you. You have nothing to do with the fact that he's an asshole. You're not childish, or stupid. You don't deserve anything like that ever happening to you, then or now."

I wanted his words to make me feel better, but they only helped a little. I did feel stupid for trusting Mike in the first place. I kind of felt like maybe I did deserve getting hurt for being so naïve. I knew that wasn't true, but doubting your own judgment really hurts your self esteem at times like this. I bit my lip, willing the memories away.

Edward tugged my bottom lip free with his thumb. "Don't." He leaned his head closer to mine, foreheads almost touching. With his eyes never leaving my lips, he softly spoke, "You have no idea how amazing you are." Then, he closed the distance and pressed his soft lips to mine.

That kiss was different than the first kiss we shared. It was still amazing, but so, so sweet. There were no hints of uncertainty, and no traces of fear. There was only a warm feeling of familiarity, and an overwhelming sense of closeness. Our lips softly caressed each other's, unwilling to pull apart.

A shiver ran down my spine, and Edward pulled away, rubbing my arms to warm me. He slowly stood up and slipped his jacket off, reaching for my hand to pull me up. He wrapped his jacket around me and reached in the pocket, pulling out his phone, and asked, "Are you ready to go home?"

I smiled and answered, "Yeah, let's go."

He called his dad, apologized for leaving abruptly, and told him to tell everyone we said goodnight. His phone beeped a few more times with text messages that he quickly answered. I handed his jacket back when he opened the car door for me. He drove back to my apartment and unlocked my keys from the glove box. He got out and opened my door for me again, reaching out his hand to help me out. "Come on. I want to make sure you get inside safely."

I took his hand, not letting go until we were inside the apartment. "Stay for a while?" I asked with pleading eyes.

He simply nodded and draped his jacket over the back of the couch before sitting down. I sat next to him and started removing my earrings, laying them on the coffee table. I pulled out my hair comb, raking my fingers through my hair, shaking it out, and letting it fall down my back.

Edward was watching every movement I made, his beautiful green eyes darkening. I watched the knot in his throat rise and fall as he swallowed. He closed his eyes, and I noticed he was breathing deeply. When he opened his eyes again, he looked sad. _No, no, no! Don't go back now. We're moving forward._

"Bella, we really shouldn't be more than friends." His voice came out pained and quiet.

"Why? Why don't you want more with me?" I needed to know.

He shook his head and answered, "I said we shouldn't be more than friends, not that I didn't want to be." His eyes lowered to my neck, and he placed a finger under the delicate chain, sliding it up and down the necklace.

I reached up and stopped his hand, holding it tightly against my chest. I looked deep into his eyes and promised, "I won't hurt you."

He pulled his hand away and barely spoke the next words. "You already do." I didn't think I was suppose to hear him, but my forehead crinkled in confusion. He reached up, smoothing the creases with his fingertips. "My heart physically aches, trying to stay away from you."

"Then don't." It was all I could think to say. I leaned in, stopping just before our lips touched. "Kiss me," I pleaded.

That was all it took, and his lips were devouring mine. His strong hands gripped my arms, then moved across my shoulders, landing at the back of my neck; pulling me closer. My hands slid over his chest, gripping his shirt in my fist. I felt his hands running down my back, pressing firmly. I climbed onto his lap, pulling my dress up higher to straddle him. I felt a deep growl emit from his chest, fueling my desire. Still locked in our kiss, I pulled off his tie and fumbled with the buttons on his shirt until I had them all unfastened. I slid it passed his shoulders, and he let go of me to finish pulling it off. I broke the kiss to admire his perfectly chiseled chest and abs. His head fell back as I started kissing down his neck and across the top of his chest. His hands gripped tightly to my hips, rocking me forward. I could feel his hard steel grinding into my center. I arched my back and unzipped my dress, letting it fall to my waist. He bent forward, one hand splayed across my back as my body bowed. He started licking and sucking on my neck, slowly moving to my collarbone and eventually the tops of my breasts that were pushed up by my bra. I frantically moved my hands across his back, searching for something to hold on to. My hands finally settled, fingers twisted in his soft hair. I straightened my body, pulling myself up on my knees and burying his face in my cleavage while I tugged on his hair. He continued kissing, then lightly biting the soft skin of my breasts. When his tongue traced a path, over the lacy bra, to my hardened nipple, I let out a soft moan. I kissed the top on his head, and he took my nipple between his teeth, applying a small amount of pressure. I collapse into his lap, finding his lips with mine again. My fingers brushed along the outline of his hard cock as I reached to undo the buckle on his pants. He groaned before grasping both my wrists with his hands, halting my motions.

"Isabella…don't. We need to stop," he growled out.

This time, I couldn't stop the small tear that fell from my eye and rolled down my cheek. Mike Newton, I would not cry over. Rejection from Edward…hurt like hell.

Edward wiped away the stray tear and placed a kiss where it was. He ran one hand down the back of my head, the other wrapped around my waist. He pulled me close to him, pressing my head against his chest. He let out a shaky breath and started to explain, "Isabella, I want you. God, do I want you! You've already had an emotional night earlier, and I don't want this to be a reaction from any of that. You mean more to me than that. I want this to be right, for both of us…I'm not going to leave you, but I don't know how to do this."

I pulled back to look in his eyes. I saw nothing but honesty and compassion there. "You don't know how to do what?" I asked in a quiet tone.

"This." He motioned between us. "A relationship. Well, you already know how my last relationship turned out. And before that…I haven't dated since high school." He pressed his forehead to mine, closing his eyes and letting out a small chuckle. "You already make me feel like a nervous teenager when I'm around you."

I smiled at his comment. "Edward, I'm not gonna push. We can take this as slow as you need to. Just promise me you won't pull away."

"Be patient with me?" he pleaded.

I nodded my head in agreement, then asked, "We can still kiss, right?"

He laughed loudly. "Yes, definitely. We can still kiss." He bent down and kissed me softly. "You know…" *Kiss* "It's been almost four years since I've kissed anyone…" *Kiss* "And I didn't even miss it, until three weeks ago." *Another kiss* "Now … kissing you is all I can think about." *Kiss, again* "I never want to stop." Then he started kissing me desperately. I returned his enthusiasm with more passion than I've ever known.

When our kissing session ended, we were both a little breathless. Edward hugged me tightly, saying, "I really should be going. Can I tuck you into bed before I leave?" I nodded, smiling into his chest. He pulled me back, looking in my face with raised brows as he said, "You know, the last time I tucked you in, I was informed that you can't sleep with clothes on. Let me do it right this time?"

I bit my lip and blushed, sliding off his lap and pulling him with me. He unzipped my dress the rest of the way and let it fall to the floor. He held my hand, helping me step out of it. Then, he twisted me around so he was facing my back. He brushed my hair over one shoulder and unclasped my necklace, letting it fall into the palm of his other hand and closing his fist around it. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him, kissing me sweetly on the neck before running his hands down my arms to take my hand and lead me to the bedroom.

I walked toward my bed, and turned around to wait for him to finish undressing me. He gave me a shy smile, stepping forward and reaching behind me to unhook my bra. He tried to keep his eyes on my face, but when the material hit the floor his eyes traveled south, causing goose bumps to prickle my skin. He bit his lip and let out a small groan, closing his eyes and moving towards the bed to pull the covers down. He waited for me to climb in bed, and I glanced down at the one remaining piece of clothing on my body. I looked back at him and he blushed, shaking his head 'no'.

"If I finish undressing you, I won't be able to leave. Get in bed, Isabella."

I decided not to torture him anymore and climbed into bed. He pulled the covers over me and bent down to kiss me on the head. "Goodnight, sweet angel."

"Goodnight, Edward. Thank you for tonight."

He smiled and left the room, closing the door on his way out. I heard him gather his things and the front door shut behind him.

I couldn't fall asleep, but I didn't want to get back up after Edward had tucked me in. I laid there for a few minutes, thinking over the night, when my cell phone buzzed from my nightstand. I picked it up and noticed a text from a number not programmed in my phone. I opened the message and smiled.

_Thought you might want my phone number, in case you need me. - Edward_

_How did you get my number? - Bella_

_You work for me. It's in your file. - Edward_

_Oh, drive safe. - Bella_

_Sweet dreams - Edward_

_You too! - Bella_


	16. Ch16 EPOV The Ball

Chapter 16 EPOV

Dad and I boarded the plane with three of our lawyers and a private investigator. Everyone settled in and pulled out laptops and paperwork. They were reviewing the case, making sure all the bases were covered. There were still a few things that had to be researched once we got to London, and they were making sure Dad knew everything they needed.

Before Dad joined them, he turned to me and said, "Go ahead and take the cabin, son. Get some rest before we get there."

"Sure. Wake me up if you guys need anything from me," I told him, making my way to the bed in the back cabin. I crashed as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Eight hours later, we landed and climbed into the rental car that was waiting for us. We stopped at the hotel to check in, then headed straight to our London office. With the time difference, it was eight o'clock at night already. Dad flashed his ID to the night guards, and we were cleared to enter. We wanted to obtain all the documents we needed without alerting any of the employees of our suspicions, so it was a good time to show up. I headed to recordkeeping to procure the documents our lawyers needed, and Dad went to accounting to secure the journal and ledger books. We met with our lawyers back at the hotel room. After another late night of research, we finally got a few more hours of rest.

Friday morning, we made our official visit to the London office. Since no one was expecting us, everyone was surprised when we walked in. We used one of the conference rooms to call some of the executives in for private interviews. Our lawyers used the day to solidify our case. By the end of the night, all our research had revealed three main culprits. Dad called a special meeting for Saturday, mandating that all company executives and department heads must attend. Dad coordinated with the local police to have them arrive at the meeting to arrest the suspects and remove them from the building.

The next morning, Dad called the meeting to order. He thanked everyone for showing up and began explaining that a few of the company's divisions were under duress. He asked the heads of those departments for any explanations in the fall of their divisions, for which they had no answers.

Dad introduced our lawyers, who quickly produced files and documents of evidence of wrongdoing. The London police entered the meeting and arrested the three department heads. James, from the Brokerage Department, and his girlfriend, Victoria, from Accounting, were falsifying documents and embezzling money. They enlisted Laurent, from Finance, to help cover the trail and provide a means for transferring the money. Within the past few months, the three had stolen an excess of twenty-six million dollars. They were informed of the charges against them and taken into custody.

Needless to say, the three offenders were completely surprised to have gotten caught. They had covered their trail pretty well, but we were smarter than they were. James, the leader of their little operation, left quietly, with one hell of an icy glare passed our way. Victoria tried cunningly to convince the police she was innocent. Once she realized it was useless, a menacing grin crossed her lips as she delivered promises to make us pay for ruining their lives. _Ridiculous, since they were the ones trying to steal from us. _Laurent seemed more wary of getting past the police canines in the hall than his actual destination.

Dad dismissed the meeting, asking the top executives to stay behind and discuss the restructuring of the three departments. After all the business plans were in place, we had dinner with our team and headed to the police station to file a proper report. Copies of all the evidence were handed over. We were asked to stay in town one more day, in case we were needed to answer anymore questions or sign more paperwork.

When we got back to the hotel, we called home to tell everyone the outcome and let them know we would be home tomorrow. Mom answered the phone with a lot of background noise going on.

"Mom, what's all that noise?" I asked, barely able to hear her.

"Oh, it's the kids, dear. Emmett and Jasper are chasing Bethany around, and Rosalie and Alice are trying to protect her. They're all just having a bunch of fun."

I heard Bethy squeal loudly and erupt into a fit of giggles. I smiled on the other end of the phone, glad to hear her so happy. "Mom, it's late here. Mind if I say goodnight to Bethy before I hand you over to Dad?"

"Sure, dear. Get some rest. I love you. Here's Bethy." I heard Mom yell at Emmett to put Bethy down and the patter of little feet running to the phone.

"Daddy! When are you coming home?" Bethy whined into the receiver.

"Soon, baby. Tomorrow sometime. Are you being good for Nana?"

"Yes, Daddy. Daddy, Uncle Emmy and his fwiends got to play wif Izzybelwa today, and I didn't. When can we play wif Izzybelwa again?" she pouted.

"Um, I don't know, sweetie. We'll talk about it when I get home, okay? Listen, Daddy's got to go to bed now. I'll let you say hello to Pop-Pop first. Daddy loves you, baby."

"Kay, Daddy. Bethy loves you too!" She made kissing noises into the phone, which made me miss her even more. I gave the phone to Dad and went to bed.

My body was so messed up from our crazy working schedules, sleeping patterns, time differences, and traveling, it was hard for me to relax enough to fall asleep. I laid in bed, thinking about Bethy and her little attitude. She was too cute, even though she was spoiled rotten. I wondered what everyone was doing over at Mom's tonight, and what they were 'playing' with Isabella. Once I finally fell asleep, my dreams were filled with crazy visions of family events, Bella present at all of them. It was disturbing and comforting at the same time.

The plane ride home was calm. Dad and I had the plane to ourselves. The lawyers and PI stayed behind to tie up any loose ends and monitor the inner workings at the company for a while. Dad was visibly more relaxed to have the situation taken care of. Of course, he would still have to be flying back every few weeks to check on the restructuring and possibly for court hearings.

"Thanks for all your hard work on this case, son. I know these past few days have taken a toll on both of us, but I'm proud of you for your dedication in helping resolve all this," he said, patting me on the shoulder.

"I'll just be glad to get back home. This whole mess has been pretty stressful." I felt like I could sleep for three days and still need more recovery time.

"Yeah, me too, son. I'm sure Bethany is missing you right now." Dad paused for a moment. I could tell he was contemplating something. He finally decided to continue. "You know, there isn't any rules strictly prohibiting inner office relationships…"

I looked at him and raised my brows, having an idea of what he was getting at.

He shifted in his seat and chose his next words. "It's been a while since you've had a real relationship with a woman. Tanya, well…Tanya wasn't the best example of what relationships should be like…"

_Understatement of the year! _I scoffed, "_Definitely_ not the best example."

Dad rolled his eyes, aware of the fact that I was being a smartass. "Edward, what I'm trying to say is…Tanya was an example of how things can go wrong. But, when things go right…nothing compares to how great that can be. I just don't want to see you give up on that kind of happiness because you're scarred from one bad example. Or because you think every single circumstance has to line up perfectly. I trust your judgment. I know you'll always do what's best for your daughter, but finding happiness for yourself is important too."

"Dad, I know every woman in the world isn't trying to hurt me like Tanya did, but the possibility of things going wrong is always out there. I don't even know how to begin…maybe someday…"

"I know it's hard, son. Just…when you see the chance for something _right_, just don't talk yourself out of it so easily. Two responsible, intelligent, caring people have a pretty good chance of overcoming the odds." He got up and walked back to the cabin for some rest.

Seven hours of a boring flight ahead of me, and I couldn't get my mind to shut down enough to rest. The talk with Dad really had my mind reeling. I know all women aren't like Tanya, but I know some of them are. I've heard countless stories of cheating couples. It really isn't that uncommon. The divorce rate is around forty percent. With those odds, you barely have better than a fifty percent chance of having a successful relationship. Not to mention, finding that one _perfect_ one…almost impossible. Then again, maybe it's me that's the problem. I tried everything I could to make Tanya happy, even before she cheated. I completely failed. And, it's not like I've been _unhappy_ without a relationship. Life is easier without the added complication, right? _Easier isn't always better though._

The best part about being gone, is coming home. Walking through the door to my parent's house, I was greeted by hugs and kisses from the sweetest three and a half year old in the world.

"Daddy, you're back!" Bethy squealed. "I miss you so much!"

I scooped her up and squeezed her tight, chuckling out a "Daddy miss you too!"

I'm sure dinner was delicious, as usual, but I was honestly too tired to even taste it. I only caught bits and pieces of the conversation around the table. I heard Emmett say something about racing go-karts and Bella owing him twenty bucks. Mom mentioned something about the charity ball coming up this weekend, and I rolled my eyes. I always hated to go to those things.

Mom noticed my displeasure and had to comment. "Edward, I know you hate these things, but it's not that bad. Maybe you'll even have some fun this year."

I noticed Rosalie stayed quiet and looked down at her plate. It wasn't like her not to tease me about my 'expensive date'. Alice also glanced at Rosalie, then to Jasper, before quickly looking away. Then, Jasper spoke up, "Yeah, maybe you'll actually get a good date this year, man." _Since when does Jasper give a shit about my 'dates'? _They were all acting too weird, so I just let it drop, mumbling, "Whatever."

I decided to head home as soon as dinner was over. I thanked Mom for the meal and told her I was going in late in the morning, so I would drop Bethy off to preschool myself. Dad was working from home tomorrow, so it would allow them to sleep in as well.

I was still pretty groggy when I got to work. I checked the appointment book at Rosalie's desk to get an idea of the kind of day I had in store for me. Rosalie looked nervous about something she had to tell me. _Great, like I needed more shit to deal with today. _She pawned whatever it was, off on Bella.

Bella started explaining something about scheduling the wrong date for the fundraiser. I was too tired to worry about it at the moment. She wouldn't let it go, clearly trying to make up for a mistake she thought I would be upset about. I didn't even want to go to the stupid thing myself, much less cared if I had a date. But I agreed to let her go with me; it seemed to make her happy.

I was a bit surprised when my mother called to talk to Bella. Why hadn't she mentioned anything about wanting to ask for her help at dinner yesterday? Maybe she did. I was probably too tired to pay attention. But, like I told Bella, she didn't need my permission for something like that.

I gradually worked myself back into a normal business routine throughout the week. Everything was finally getting caught up from my absence. When I had time to think about the ball, I remembered to tell Bella I would pick her up at five-thirty. If she was willing to go to the event, I at least wanted to make it nice for her. I had Rosalie check with her best friend, Alice, to find out what she was planning to wear, so I could buy her some jewelry that would match. Once I heard back, I stopped by Tiffany's, after work one day, and picked up something I thought she would like.

By the time Saturday rolled around, I was fully recuperated from the week before and looking forward to the evening out with Bella. I dropped Bethy off at, her friend, Katie's house for a sleepover. She was excited to get to use her new Cinderella sleeping bag. I told Katie's mom I would pick her up by nine the next morning.

When I got to Bella's apartment, Jasper let me in the door, telling me she would be out in a minute. I was joking around with Jasper and didn't hear her come into the room. As soon as I saw her, I couldn't look away. She was absolutely the most picture perfect vision of a living, breathing goddess.

I'd seen Bella looking beautiful in jeans and a t-shirt, looking amazing in dressy work attire, and looking completely hot in her clubbing outfits. But, nothing could have prepared me for the sight of Bella in an evening gown with her hair classically pinned up, exposing her beautiful neck and bare shoulders. I almost couldn't speak.

I was worried I may have gone overboard with the necklace. It was probably much too expensive to seem appropriate, but when I saw it, I thought it would look perfect on her, and I had to buy it. Thankfully, she didn't make a fuss over the cost. Although, she did look like she wanted to.

As we were pulling up to the event, I noticed all the photographers hanging around the entrance. I suggested using the side door to avoid them, and Bella agreed.

Once we were inside the ballroom, I felt more comfortable. It almost felt like a real date. I could tell Bella was kind of uncertain of what to do, so I led her around the room. Most paid escorts would have naturally known how to fit in and socialize at these events, but being here with Bella was a thousand times better.

I explained the auction table to her as we looked over the items. It was the usual items for these events. She was so cute, worrying about the fundraiser earning enough money. I couldn't resist teasing her about the expensive meal she was going to eat.

We made our way around the room, politely engaging in small conversations with New York's elite. She never left my side, smiling and greeting everyone I introduced her to.

Once dinner was served, the rest of the evening should have been a breeze. She made me laugh when she proudly displayed her empty plate after dinner. She looked like a little kid waiting for her praise. _How can a woman look adorably cute and breathtakingly gorgeous at the same time? Bella does it…a lot._

After a few dances together, we went back to the table for a break. I noticed Emmett and Dad talking with some of our business associates. Bella looked like she was enjoying the conversation with Rosalie and my mom, so I excused myself to join my father and brother.

Several minutes of socializing and talking business with the men, and I was anxious to ask Bella for another dance. I noticed she wasn't at the table with Mom and Rosalie anymore, so I scanned the room looking for her. When I didn't see her, I figured she must have gone to the ladies room. I decided to head in that direction to wait for her. I was walking past a set of open balcony doors when I heard Bella's voice, sounding upset.

"No, Mike. You were cheating on me the whole time we were together. There was nothing good about that! Why would you even think I would want you in my life again?"

Then I heard a man's voice respond, "It was college, Bella! That's what goes on in college. Those girls didn't mean anything to me. But, you and I had something special. I can't believe you're still not over this."

I wasn't sure if I should interrupt, but there was no way I was going to leave Bella to deal with this asshole if she didn't want to. When I stepped onto the balcony, I saw him grab for her arm. I cleared my throat to get their attention and asked if there was a problem. I looked at Bella; she clearly looked upset, but before she could say anything, 'Asshole' spoke up and complained that I was interrupting their private conversation. _Okay, enough of this shit! _I made a comment implying that Bella was with me now, and started to leave with her. Then, that dickhead had to insult Bella again, calling her childish. I almost said something, but Bella beat me to it.

Just as we reached the door, his next comment sealed the deal. There was no way I was leaving here without decking his sorry ass. The last words he said were, "You know, if you couldn't handle what I did, you really made a stupid mistake hooking up with New York's biggest playboy here. But, I guess you deserve it. He'll just fuck you and move on to the next batch of willing whores!" _Wrong fucking thing to say, motherfucker!_

I made sure Bella was safely out of the way and hit him with enough force to break his nose. I watched him fall to the ground with blood covering his face. I didn't stick around to cause an even bigger scene. I led Bella out of the ballroom and towards the side door. I saw that I had blood on my hand and stopped to wash it off before Bella noticed it.

Once we were outside, I tried to clear my head, so I could help Bella. We sat on the steps, and I tried to think of something to say. She looked so lost in herself. I know the things Mike said hurt her a lot. I had to make sure she knew how wrong he was. She was the most amazing girl anyone could ever hope to have. When I asked if she knew he was wrong, she thought I was talking about the things he said about me. I couldn't give a shit less what he thought about me. What I did care about was what Bella thought about herself.

She closed her eyes and started biting her lip, like she was giving in to the hurt. I couldn't stand seeing her like that. I had to make it better. There's probably no going back after this, but…_fuck it! She's worth it_. I pressed my lips to hers and gave in to the moment. Our first kiss totally blew my mind, but this kiss…there was only one way to describe this kiss - completely right. Everything about it felt right. I don't think I would have ever stopped, but I felt her shiver and knew she must have been cold. I helped her up and wrapped her in my jacket.

I called Dad to apologize for leaving without saying goodbye. As soon as I ended the call, I got a text from Emmett.

_Dude, don't think I didn't notice you left about the same time some guy on the balcony showed up with a busted nose. How's the hand? - Emmett_

_The hand's fine. I'll explain later. -Edward_

_Cool. What if he presses charges? - Emmett_

_Fuck him! - Edward_

I drove Bella home and walked her inside. I knew I wasn't going to say no when she asked me to stay for a while. I also knew we needed to talk. This was the second time we had kissed, and we couldn't ignore it again.

When she started letting her hair down, literally, my mind went towards an entirely different direction than talking. If I didn't know this was real, I'd swear I was having another one of my fantasies. I had to close my eyes and will the sexual images away. Bella deserves more than this. _God, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm probably gonna fuck this up_. The last thing I want to do is hurt Bella.

I told Bella we shouldn't be more than friends. It hurt like hell to say it, but I know she deserved someone a lot better than me. She wanted to know why I didn't want more with her and told me she wouldn't hurt me. I really wanted to believe her, but more than that, I wanted to believe I wouldn't hurt her. When she pleaded with me to kiss her again, I was done fighting it. I heard my Dad's words in my head, _"When you see the chance for something right, just don't talk yourself out of it so easily." _Kissing Bella definitely felt _right_.

I was so wrapped up in kissing Bella, it barely registered that we were getting out of control pretty quickly. Once she straddled my lap and my shirt was gone, lust took over fast. I pulled her hips closer, positioning her over my straining erection. I could feel the heat radiating from between her legs through the thin fabric of our clothes. She was grinding against me, or I was grinding against her. Either way, I almost lost it right there. I didn't even notice she was sliding out of her dress until it was too late. And once it was too late, I couldn't resist the creamy skin of her breasts. Her dress was pooled around her waist, and the sexy, black, lace bra was practically failing at covering her fantastic tits. Bella raised up on her knees, burying my face in her cleavage and tangling her fingers in my hair. I bit down on her nipple, and she collapsed into my lap. It wasn't until her hands were trying to undo my belt, that I realized we were definitely moving too fast.

It was impossible for me to actually _want_ to stop, but I couldn't let our first time together be a rash decision made in the heat of the moment. I still wasn't sure I wouldn't hurt her. I knew I didn't want to hurt her, and I would try like hell not to. But, this whole thing was new to me. Wanting a relationship. Actually caring about someone I was going to have sex with. Worrying about not messing it up in the future. I wanted to give her every part of me, but to do it right, we needed to take our time.

It nearly broke my heart when I noticed a tear fall from her eye after I told her to we needed to stop. I was afraid she was going to take it as a personal rejection, and I could tell she did. I wiped the tear from her face and kissed the evidence away. I had to explain that I really did want her, and I wasn't going to run away. I asked her to be patient with me when she said we could take this as slow as I needed to. When she asked if we could still kiss, I decided to show her just how much I loved kissing her.

Before I left, I asked if I could tuck her in bed 'the right way' this time, and she agreed. I helped her out of her dress and took her necklace off when she stood up. Then I led her to the bedroom, trying to figure out how I was going to finish undressing her. _I don't know what I was thinking, asking for this. _I already knew she was near impossible to resist with her bra still on. Why in the hell would I think I could survive seeing her without it?

She waited for me to help her, so I stepped forward and reached around her to unhook her bra. I told my eyes not to leave her face and it would be okay. They didn't listen. I saw light chill bumps brush her skin and her nipples were so hard, they were screaming to be sucked. _God, give me the strength to walk away tonight_. I had to close my eyes and force myself to step away. The undressing of Isabella Swan has been concluded for the night. There was no way I could take any more.

I pulled the covers back and waited for her to get in. She glanced at the underwear she still had on, and I had to shake my head 'no', telling her I wouldn't be able to leave if I continued. Once she was in bed, I pulled the covers over her and kissed her on the head. I told her goodnight before I gathered my things and got dressed. I picked Bella's dress off the floor and draped it over the back of the couch neatly. Then, I made sure I locked her front door on the way out.

Inside my car, I gripped the steering wheel tightly and rested my head on it, amazed at the will power I didn't know I had. _Shit, I really hope I'm doing this right_. I had no idea what the protocol was on dating these days. Do I call her in the morning? Wait a couple of days? Do I wait for her to call me? Hell, she doesn't even have my cell phone number. I decided to text her so she would have it. She immediately asked how I got hers. Silly girl. She's one of my assistants. Of course I would have her number. We said goodnight again, and I headed home.

The next morning, I picked Bethy up from Katie's house. I took her to IHOP, for breakfast, and back home. We watched cartoons and colored in her coloring books until it was time to go to my parents' for dinner.

All morning I felt nervous. I didn't know what to tell Bethy about me and Bella. I already knew how she felt about her, but what would she think of my relationship with Bella? I came to the conclusion that we shouldn't tell her anything until we knew more about how things were going to work out. What about everyone else? Do we wait to mention it to anyone? Are we secretly dating now? Are we both being exclusive? Obviously, Bella and I needed to have more of a talk about this.

Bethy ran into the kitchen with Aunt Rosie and Nana, while I watched football with Emmett and Dad in the family room. I knew Emmett would ask about the asshole with the broken nose soon, and he didn't disappoint.

"So, Ed. Are you gonna fill me in on why you broke some dude's nose last night?" Emmett looked straight at me waiting for an answer. Dad just glanced over before turning back to the TV, pretending not to be listening.

I shrugged my shoulders and answered, "He was Bella's cheating ex, and he was bothering her."

I'm pretty sure I saw a smirk on my dad's face, but Emmett looked confused. "So…you just punched him in the nose?"

"Basically. We tried to walk away, but he pushed it too far. Was anything said about it after we left?" If the prick wanted to press charges, I had enough money and lawyers to get out of it.

"Nah, a few people noticed, but I think he was too embarrassed to say anything. He probably figured if he told anyone Edward Cullen broke his nose, it would be plastered across every newspaper around. Nobody wants that kind of publicity."

He was probably right. My only response was, "Good." Thankfully, he let it drop there, without asking any more questions about Bella.

After dinner, Bethy and I went home. She played with her little kitchen set and baby dolls, while I did some laundry and cleaned the house up. Once she had her bath and was put to bed, I decided I needed to talk to Bella before work tomorrow. I sent her a text message to make sure she wasn't busy first.

_Thought about you all day. Got time to talk? - Edward_

_Sure. Call me anytime. - Bella_

I hit the call button, and she answered right away. Even though she said to call, I still wanted to make sure she wasn't busy, so I started the conversation with, "Hey, were you busy?"

She replied, "No. I just finished working on my article for the paper. I'm printing it now, so I'm free to talk."

"Oh, good. What's this one about?"

"The Pottery Pallet. You should see the awesome vase I made." A cute chuckle joined her sarcastic tone, then she asked sweetly, "How was your day?"

"Normal Sunday. Family dinner at my parents' house. Gave Bethy a bath and put her to bed a few minutes ago. Umm…I thought maybe we could talk and sort a few things out." I didn't know how to approach the subject of our relationship, and I hoped she was better at this stuff than I was.

"Okay, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I just thought maybe we should clear a few things up, so we both know where we stand." _Come on, Bella. Help me out here_.

"Oh, okay. Look, Edward, this doesn't have to be weird. I told you we could take things as slow as you needed, and I meant it. We don't have to define anything just yet. I can be patient. Just tell me what's on your mind, or ask me whatever you want." _Thank you! _

"Well, I guess the first thing I wanted to know is…are you going to be seeing anyone else while we take things slow?" I don't think I could handle it if I had to see her with some other guy. Shit, just knowing she _might_ want to go out with someone else would be too much for me to handle.

She laughed lightly before answering, "Shit, Edward. I wouldn't even _expect _things to work out between us if either one of us were seeing other people too. I don't want to be with anyone else…do you?"

I was so relieved to hear that! It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. "No. Definitely not. I just wasn't sure what _you_ were thinking. Umm, well, the other thing is…what are we going to tell other people about us?"

"That's up to you. What do you want to tell people?" She sounded a little nervous at this question.

"I don't know. It's not that I don't want people to know we're together; I just don't want other's opinions and speculations to mess things up. I don't want anyone to be judging us already. And, Bethy…I'm not sure it's a good idea for her to see us 'together' just yet. I'm not sure how she'll feel about it. She's never seen me with a woman in that way before." _I don't even know if I'm making any sense_.

"No. I understand. I wouldn't want to confuse her either. As far as everyone else, I suppose we don't have to tell them anything. Just let things happen naturally; they'll find out when they find out. But, it's gonna be pretty hard to keep things from Alice and Jasper. She's my best friend, and Jasper practically lives here now."

"Yeah, Alice and Jasper are fine. I wouldn't expect you to keep anything from your best friend. And, I'm not exactly saying I want us to be sneaking around either. I want to spend time with you, but with Bethy, I know we won't get as much alone time as most couples do…I miss you already."

"Aw, I miss you too, and I can't wait to spend more time with you. But, like I said, I can be patient. We'll get together whenever we can. You can call me anytime you want. And I've already run into Bethy on a couple of my outings. We can casually meet up and all spend time together sometimes, if you want to. That's up to you, really."

I smiled the biggest smile I was capable of. _Bella's perfect! _Maybe it won't be so hard for this to work out after all. "That sounds perfect, Bella. Thanks for being so understanding. But, it's not exactly fair for you to cater to my needs all the time. I want to be there for you too. Promise me you'll let me know if I'm doing a shitty job at this, or if you get frustrated with me at all. You can call me anytime you want, also."

Bella giggled, then said, "Edward, you said you didn't know how to do this, but you're doing it. You're not doing a shitty job at all, and I doubt you ever will. Communication is the biggest hurdle, consideration for someone else's needs is the next. You've got those covered. Relax, and don't worry. You're good at this. Trust me."

Bella was perfect. Nothing else needed to be said. I decided to tease her a bit, "Well, I'm so relieved to find out I'm dating the relationship expert here."

Her sweet laughter flowed through the phone. "I'm not an expert, by any means. I just know when something feels right." I understood _that_ completely.

We talked a while longer, telling each other about our day. She filled me in on Alice and Jasper's skyrocketing affection for one another. It sounded like my best friend had finally found 'the one', which reminded me that we needed to get together soon.

We finally said goodbye and hung up the phone. I took a nice, relaxing shower and went to bed. Before I could go to sleep, I pulled a magazine from my nightstand drawer and stared at the picture on the front cover, remembering the perfect day we all had together. I sent Bella one last text for the night.

_Goodnight, sweet angel. - Edward_

_Sweet dreams - Bella_

On my way to work, I passed by the news stand and had to back peddle. Again, splashed across the front page of another magazine was a picture of me and Bella. Three pictures to be exact. The pictures were displayed side by side, outlined like a film reel. They were black and white photos of us sitting on the steps outside the fundraiser. The first one showed us staring into each others eyes, my fingers gently touching her chin. In the second one, our foreheads were almost touching. I was looking down towards her lips and her eyes were closed. The third one showed us wrapped together in a passionate kiss.

I stood at the news stand, reading the article titled, _**Yep, Definitely Off The Market**_.

_Edward Cullen and Isabella Swan attended the hospital's charity ball together Saturday night. They were photographed, later in the evening, on the steps outside the benefit. If the pictures above are any indication of their feelings for one another, I would have to say, "This one's definitely off the market!" _

_This is the second time the couple has been spotted out together. A couple weeks ago, a picture of them picnicking with Mr. Cullen's daughter was printed. The rarity of these events in the former playboy's lifestyle, has made their story newsworthy. We'd like to wish the couple well and hope to see more of them in the future. I think we all can agree; they do look good together._

I grabbed two copies and carried them to the counter to pay. The woman behind the register looked at the papers, then up at me in recognition. I gave her a crooked smile and said, "My girlfriend's gonna love these." She smiled and handed me my change.

I stopped by the front desk, wrote a note on the yellow post-it pad, and attached it to the front of one of the magazines. I grabbed a large envelope and slipped it inside. When I got upstairs, I dropped the envelope on Bella's desk and went to my office. But, not before noticing the smirk on Rosalie's face as I walked by. Sometimes she can be a little too observant.


	17. Ch17 Dinner and Forks

Chapter 17 BPOV

*Bounce* *Bounce* *Bounce* "Tell me, Bella!" *Bounce* "Tell me, tell me, tell me!" *Bounce*

"What the hell, Alice! Why are you bouncing on my bed…" I struggled to see the clock and continued, "at seven thirty in the morning?"

"You tell me why it looks like you got undressed in the living room before taking your bra off in here," Alice wondered, with a smirk.

I couldn't help the huge smile that popped on my face as I sat up in the bed. Alice squealed with delight and plopped down on her butt in front of me, grabbing my hands and bouncing some more.

"I knew it! Tell me everything!" She demanded.

"Well, first of all, it's not what you're thinking," I started to explain. Her face fell in disappointment. I continued as quickly as I could, "Well, not all of what you're thinking. We made out on the couch, and he did undress me, but we didn't have sex. I wanted to, but I don't think he was ready."

"Ohmygod! You wanted to, and he stopped it?" She asked, with huge eyes.

"Pretty much. It was really wonderful though. At first, I was upset, but after he explained how he felt…I think we might be kind of dating now."

Alice insisted I tell her every single detail of what happened. She completely freaked out when I told her about Mike. She giggled when I gave some details about our heavy make out session. She 'awed' when I told her what he said about kissing me. At the end, she hugged me and said, "I'm so happy for you, Bella!"

She hopped off the bed and told me to get dressed to go out for breakfast. She wanted to spend some time together while Jasper was at work. I grabbed a quick shower and threw on some jeans and one of my college sweatshirts. We went out to our favorite coffee house. They served the best breakfast sandwiches and pastries in town.

After we ate, we walked through some antique shops, looking for a special piece to take to Alice's mom next weekend. She collects certain patterns of depression glass, and every time we go to visit, Alice likes to bring her a new piece to add to her collection. We had a lot of fun hanging out and spending the day together. About three hours into antique hunting, we finally found what we were looking for.

Alice went over to Jasper's work for dinner, and I went home to write my article. As soon as I finished it and hit print, my phone beeped with a new text message. I was kind of surprised to see Edward's name light up on my screen. Surprised, but happy and excited. He said he thought about me all day. Awe, so sweet. He wanted to know if I had time to talk. Silly boy. I'd always have time to talk to him.

I told him to call me anytime, and my phone instantly rang. When I heard his sweet, velvety voice on the other line, I almost melted. But when he said he wanted to sort some things out, I got nervous. I hoped he wasn't having second thoughts. Turns out, he was just wondering where exactly we stood in our relationship and how to go about telling other people. He was so cute! This was all so new to him, and I could tell he was trying really hard to do everything right. That just made me want him even more. I couldn't believe he thought I might want to date other people. It hadn't even crossed my mind that he might, until then. He said he didn't, and I believed him . We had both been hurt so badly by cheating partners, I don't think it would have done any good to start out our relationship with other people in the picture. I'm glad he agreed.

I also could definitely understand his concern about telling Jellybean. I loved that little girl and didn't want to force her into accepting something she wasn't ready for. The part about telling everyone else, well…it was a little too late to keep it a secret from Alice. And Alice probably already shared some of it with Jasper, so I hoped he was okay with that. Luckily, he was.

Edward thought he wasn't good at the whole relationship thing, but so far, he was way wrong. Each of his actions and every word he spoke had shown more care and consideration than anyone else ever had.

After all the relationship talk, we chatted about normal stuff before saying goodbye. The sweetest thing was the text he sent me to say goodnight. Yeah, he wasn't bad at this at all.

The next morning, I happily showed up to work right on time. I sat down at my desk and eyed the large envelope waiting for me. I pulled out a news magazine with a yellow post-it note on top. My first love note from Edward read: 'I guess the cat's out of the bag now. Kind of hard to deny this one. By the way, you look beautiful. P.S. I miss kissing you already.'

I took a look at the pictures and couldn't help but smile. We looked so sweet. I probably should have been pissed that our private moment wasn't as private as we thought, but nothing could cheapen the memories of that night. I guess Edward wasn't upset about it either because he left me this copy, along with a sweet note. I read the article and walked to his office with it in my hand.

I knocked on the door, and this time I waited for him to tell me to come in. When I opened the door, he looked up from his desk with a smile. I stepped forward, holding the paper up, and asked, "You're okay with this?"

He nodded 'yes' and gave me his crooked smile. "At least the headline doesn't read, _Edward Cullen Charged With Assault On Girlfriend's Ex_." I winced, remembering the cause of us being out there to begin with. I also hadn't considered possible charges being filed.

Edward laughed out loud and slid his chair away from his desk some, reaching out to me and requesting, "Come here."

I walked over to him and he intertwined his fingers with mine, looking up at me and saying, "Kiss me."

I grinned and leaned down to kiss him. Electric sparks shot through my body, and I had to remind myself we were at work. I pulled away as he whispered, "Thank you" in my ear.

"Do you want to have lunch with me today?" he asked.

I made a sad face in silent apology, and said, "I can't today. On Mondays I have to use my lunch hour to go to the _Times_ to turn in my work and pick up my next assignment. Tomorrow?"

Now it was his turn to look apologetic. "Not tomorrow. I have a business lunch scheduled. Dinner tomorrow night?"

I chuckled. This was ridiculous. We just started dating and already can't find time to be together. "No, I have that meeting for the Children's Literacy Foundation. Thursday I have to do my _Times_ assignment, and Friday Alice and I are leaving right after work to catch a plane to Washington for the weekend. So, I guess that leaves Wednesday open. Any plans on your end?"

He laughed. "Well, the usual gang was planning on hanging out at New Moon for a while. You could join us."

"Okay. Wednesday at New Moon then." Not what I really wanted to be doing, but I wasn't going to complain.

Edward chuckled and said, "Wednesday. Okay, you better get back to work, Miss Swan."

I bit my lip as I smiled. "Right. Work. Wouldn't want the boss to think I was getting lazy." I started to leave, but he pulled me to him and kissed me one more time. He shook his head and said, "I'll call you after work."

I walked back to my desk and slid the paper back into the envelope. I tucked it under my purse and placed the post-it note inside the front pocket. I glanced over at Rosalie, who was watching me with a big smile on her face.

"I liked the first picture a couple weeks ago, but those are nice too," she said nonchalantly before turning back to her computer screen.

"Thanks. I had to autograph the last one for Alice. Got any copies you want signed?" I teased. She laughed and shook her head.

When it was time for lunch, Edward shared the elevator ride with me, taking my hand to hold on the way down. Before we stepped into the lobby, he tugged on my hand to pull me into him. He wrapped his other arm around me and gave me a light squeeze. Then he planted a quick kiss on top of my head and told me not to work too hard. On my way back from the _Times_, I got a text message.

_Make sure you stop to eat something. Don't worry about being late. - Edward_

_Had an apple on the way, I'm good. Thanks - Bella_

_What's the new assignment? - Edward_

_Wax museum. Want to go? - Bella_

_Yes. Dinner after? - Edward_

_Sure. Dinner for two, or three? - Bella_

_Three, maybe. We'll see. - Edward_

I made it back to work a few minutes early. I went straight to setting up conference rooms, ignoring the quiet rumble in my tummy. The apple wasn't doing a very good job of providing a proper lunch, but there was no way I was willing to brave the company cafeteria today; not with the newly posted pictures of Edward and I in the paper. Edward was right; there really wasn't any way to deny it now. It wasn't that I cared about people knowing Edward and I were seeing each other, but I'd prefer to avoid the accusing stares of nosey coworkers.

After work, Alice and I took on the task of preparing for our upcoming trip to Washington. Alice verified our airline tickets were in order and confirmed the flight information. I called Charlie to make sure he would be able to pick us up from the airport Friday night. We ate most of the leftovers in the refrigerator for dinner while we worked on getting all the laundry done up. Together, we scrubbed the apartment from top to bottom because neither one of us could comfortably go away knowing the place wasn't perfectly clean when we left.

In the middle of our cleaning spree, my phone lit up with Edward's name. Alice giggled when I frantically flagged her to halt the vacuuming as I pointed to my phone. I'm sure I answered sounding out of breath.

"Hey, did I catch you at a bad time?" Edward asked.

"Uh, not really. Alice and I were just cleaning the apartment so we'd be ready to leave Friday, but I could use a break anyway. What are you up to?" I answered.

"Just watching some TV while Bethy's in her room playing. I figured I'd give you a call while she was occupied. Cleaning, huh?"

"Yes, cleaning. I'm sure you've heard of it. Although, you probably have people who do that for you, but us less fortunate have to do it ourselves," I teased.

He laughed. "Yeah, I do. But I still try to keep the house up too. Can't have it looking like a mess when the maids show up. I'm not completely without domestic abilities."

Now I laughed. "I'm sure you're not. Do you cook and wash windows too?"

"Not the windows. But, yes. I can cook, pretty well actually. Otherwise, my child might starve to death. Sometimes, I even like to have clean clothes to wear and decide to do laundry," he joked.

"Okay, smartass. I get it. You're domestic skills have completely blown my mind." I was only half joking. What woman wouldn't get a little excited over a man who cooked and cleaned, and washed his own clothes?

"Now who's being a smartass?" he asked, playfully.

We talked for a few more minutes before he announced it was time for Bethy's bath, and I admitted I needed to finish helping Alice.

Even though it was getting pretty late by the time all the cleaning and laundry was done, Alice and I both decided to go ahead and pack our weekend bags, so we would have everything ready to go. I was stuffing a few pairs of underwear into my suitcase when my phone buzzed with Edward's nightly 'Goodnight, sweet angel' message. I replied with my automatic response of 'Sweet dreams' and finished up my packing.

Tuesday was a normal day at work. Edward had his business lunch, and I brought lunch from home to eat at my desk. After work, I had a salad from Subway and went to my meeting. We finalized plans for the Halloween carnival, and everyone chose a costume to wear that depicted a storybook character. Some of the ones chosen were Mother Goose, Snow White, Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Alice from Wonderland, and the Gingerbread Man. Esme decided to go as Little Red Riding Hood, and I picked Dorothy from _The Wizard of Oz_. We all agreed to meet at the community center next week to decorate and set up for the carnival.

Aside from our goodnight text messages, Edward and I hadn't had a chance to talk that day. After work on Wednesday, we met up at New Moon to have dinner with our friends. We were all seated in the private room in the back. I wasn't sure if it would be awkward, since this was our first time hanging out with anyone as a couple, but it was nice. Edward's other two band mates were also there with their girls. In fact, Gabe and Dean were the only two who were surprised by our closeness during dinner.

Edward and I weren't overly affectionate with one another. It was just little things like feeding each other a taste of our food, or holding hands under the table that seemed to catch their attention. Only once, was there an awkward moment during the night. Everyone was talking and laughing with one another after we'd all finished eating. Edward leaned in close to my ear to whisper that he would be right back, as he pressed a soft kiss next to my ear. When he left the room, it seemed like all the conversation stopped and everyone was looking at me.

"What?" I asked uncomfortably.

Rosalie smiled and said, "It's nothing…just that you two are so sweet together. You've only just started dating, but you both look so comfortable with each other…like you've been together forever already." Emmett nodded. Jasper whispered something to Alice, and they both looked at me and smiled. Everyone else politely looked away and resumed their conversations. I just smiled and looked up as Edward returned.

He took his seat next to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders before rejoining the conversation around us. I leaned into him and rested my hand on his thigh. I don't know why, but Rosalie was right. We did feel comfortable together.

The guys all talked about getting together this weekend to practice for the show they were having on Halloween night at the Twilight club. Edward looked at me, raising his eyebrows while asking, "You're going to come watch, right?"

I frowned before answering, "I don't know if I can. I'm helping with the carnival for the literacy group."

Edward nodded and said, "I know. The show's not until after that. I'm bringing Bethy by at the end of the carnival, and Mom's taking her home with her for the night. We can head to Twilight together, if you want."

My face brightened with the prospect of seeing Edward perform again. "Sure, that sounds great!"

Emmett asked about our plans for Washington. Alice and I filled everyone in on the small town of Forks and the lack of entertainment there. To make up for the mundane description, Alice had to include a few stories about some of our high school antics. I added information about the weekly beach bonfires and illegal street racing that sometimes occurred.

Emmett jumped up and blurted out, "Hey, speaking of racing, you still owe me twenty bucks!"

I laughed and started digging through my purse for the money. "Fine, Emmett. I honestly forgot all about it." Edward rolled his eyes and shook his head as I handed over the money.

"Thanks, B. If you need lunch money this week, make Edward pay for it!" he laughed.

Edward shook his head and chuckled. "She already turned me down for lunch once this week; I'm not risking getting shot down again."

I shoved him in the shoulder and responded, "Hey, you turned me down too!"

At the end of the night, Edward walked me to my car. He appeared to be thinking about something sad when he asked, "Do you miss it? Washington?"

"Sometimes. I miss my dad the most of course. Aside from that, I guess the thing I miss the most is the stars. You can't see the stars here in the city like you can in Forks. On a clear night, the sky looks like black velvet with a million shiny diamonds scattered through it. It's beautiful."

Edward smiled and said, "Maybe you can show me someday. I'd like to see it."

"Someday I will," I promised.

"Good," he whispered as he leaned in to kiss me goodnight. Five minutes later, he was reluctantly helping me into my car and saying goodbye. Twenty minutes later, we shared our goodnight texts.

Thursday evening, Edward and Jellybean 'coincidentally' bumped into me at the entrance to the wax museum. I pretended to be surprised and scooped her up to carry her into the building. We walked through, looking at a bunch of famous wax people. It was pretty neat because everything in each scene was made out of wax, and the people looked so real. I had Edward take a picture, with my phone, of me posing with Dracula to send to Alice. I laughed when Jellybean said, "Be careful, Izzybelwa. He has sharp teef."

There wasn't a lot there that interested Jellybean though, but she was patient and behaved herself pretty well. She did like one scene that had a bunch of animals in it, and Edward had to snatch her away from the ropes quickly when we found the Winnie the Pooh and Friends scene. She begged him to let her go join the tea party Pooh was having, and we had to explain to her that it wasn't real.

After the wax museum, they invited me to join them for dinner. We ate at a nearby steakhouse and shared the activities on the back of the children's menu. Jellybean colored the pictures, and Edward helped her with the word search. I did the crossword puzzle and read the goofy jokes out loud for everyone. By the time we were done, it was past Jellybean's bedtime. We said goodbye with hugs instead of kisses when we left.

When Edward text me with our goodnight wishes, I also told him to tell Jellybean goodnight from me too. Seconds later my phone rang.

"Izzybelwa! My daddy said you wanted to say goodnight to me," the little voice chirped.

I giggled and answered, "Yes, I did. Are you ready for bed yet?"

"Daddy still has to tuck me in, but I already gots my nightgown on. Do you gots your nightgown on too?" I heard Edward laughing in the background and telling her to hurry up and say goodnight. "Goodnight, Izzybelwa!" she sang out before Edward took the phone.

"Bella? Sorry, but when I told her you wanted to say goodnight, she made me let her call to say it in person," Edward explained.

I smiled and told him, "That's fine. I didn't mind at all. She's so sweet."

"So…do you have your nightgown on now?" he teased.

"No nightgown, but I'm ready to be tucked in, Mr. Cullen," I teased suggestively. I heard him groan into the phone and let out breathy sigh.

"Goodnight, Isabella."

"Goodnight, Edward."

The next morning, Jasper drove both Alice and I to work and picked us up afterward. We headed straight to the airport to catch our flight. Jasper helped us check our bags and waited with us as long as he could before we were forced to go through security and say goodbye. Neither one of them were a fan of public displays of affection, so they both just stared longingly at each other before breaking away. Somehow, that was more intimate than couples embracing in hugs and kisses at the terminal. There were times at the apartment when I would walk in on them, wrapped up in each others arms on the couch, speaking without words. I always had to look away and sneak out of the room, convinced that I was invading on a private moment.

It was eleven thirty at night when Alice and I stepped off the plane. Exhausted from the long day and boring in-flight movies, we search the terminal for my dad.

"Bella! Alice! Over here!" I heard Dad's voice calling to us as I turned around to see him heading our way.

"Dad!" I yelled, running to greet him with a hug. Alice was right behind me calling, "Charlie! So good to see you again!"

Dad squeezed me tight and turned to give Alice a hug too. "So good to see both my girls again. How was your flight?"

"Good, Dad. Thanks for picking us up so late at night," I said.

"Anything for you, Bells. Let's get your bags and get you two back to the house."

Dad loaded our bags in the trunk of the cruiser, and Alice and I giggled as we slid in the back seat behind the metal grate separator. Dad hopped behind the wheel and chuckled out, "Alright. I guess I'm gonna have to haul you two troublemakers in." This had been a long-running charade between the three of us. Alice and I use to love pretending we were criminals getting 'hauled in'. Every time we got in the back, we would take turns making up a different reason for being arrested.

Once we were on the road, I pulled out my cell phone and powered it back on. I had told Edward I would text him when we landed safely.

_Landed a few minutes ago. In the back of a squad car, heading home now. - Bella_

_Glad to hear you're safe. Have a nice visit with your dad. - Edward_

_I will. Have fun with the guys. - Bella_

_I'll try. Goodnight, sweet angel. - Edward_

_Sweet dreams. - Bella_

We pulled into the driveway, and Dad grabbed our bags to carry inside. I opened the front door and breathed in the smell of home. I noticed the pile of folded blankets and fluffy pillows stacked on the couch and smiled.

"I know how you girls are, always wanting to camp out on the living room floor. So, I brought all the fresh linens down from the closet…and a few pillows. Just try not to have the place covered in feathers by the morning," he chuckled, obviously remembering one of our many slumber parties involving a pillow fight.

I gave him another hug and said, "Thanks, Dad. Why don't you go on up and get some sleep. Alice and I can set ourselves up, and we'll see you in the morning."

"Alright. Goodnight, girls!" Dad said, heading up the stairs to his bedroom.

"Thanks, Charlie. Goodnight!" Alice called after him.

Alice and I made a thick mattress in the middle of the living room floor, using the blankets Dad had laid out. We riffled through our bags for something to change into for bed, and quietly crept up the stairs to wash our faces and brush our teeth.

Once we were settled comfortably on our makeshift bed, with the lights out, Alice spoke up, "Okay, name 'em."

I immediately knew what she was talking about. I thought about it for a second and said, "Umm…Johnny Depp, Robert Pattinson, and Edward Cullen."

She giggled and responded, "George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Jasper Whitlock."

We both exploded into a fit of giggles. This was something we had done since our preteen years. We would take turns naming celebrities we thought were hot, ending with whichever boy we were currently crushing on.

We lay there in the dark, talking about 'our guys' until we were too tired to stay awake.

Alice and I awoke the next morning to the smell of fresh coffee and the sound of footsteps in the kitchen. We stumbled our way through the kitchen entry, groaning our 'good mornings' to my dad.

Dad took in our ruffled appearances and smiled. "I didn't mean to wake you girls, but I do have coffee ready if you want some."

Alice went to the cupboard and took out two mugs to pour coffee for us both. I peered into the fridge in search of ingredients to make breakfast. I pulled out some eggs and bacon and placed them on the counter. I grabbed the skillet from the drawer under the stove and put it on the burner. Taking a sip of the coffee Alice handed me, I told them, "I'll make breakfast. You guys just sit and relax."

Dad was already sitting at the small kitchen table, sipping his coffee and reading the morning paper. Alice joined him and started plucking through the magazines that were laying on the small bar beside her. I heard her gasp, and I turned around to see her tilt one of the magazines in my direction. Oh, no. It's the one with me, Edward, and Jellybean on the front cover. I glanced over at Dad, who was peeking over the top of his newspaper. His eyes darted from me to Alice and back to his paper. _Shit! _I really hadn't planned on having it come out this way.

I plated three servings of bacon, eggs, and buttered toast and joined them at the table. Dad set his newspaper to the side, and Alice stuffed the magazines back on the counter.

"It's delicious, Bells. I always know I'll get a couple of good meals whenever you come visit," Dad spoke in between bites of food. "So, fill me in. What have you girls been up to in New York?"

Alice smiled and answered, "It's been great, Charlie. I think we've finally settled in. I love my job, and Bella's doing really good with both of hers. Sometimes I get to reap the benefits of her entertainment column too."

"Yeah? That's great. I'm sure you girls have made a bunch of new friends there too."

Before I could say anything, Alice started rattling on about the people at her work and some of the ones from mine. She told him about our go-karting trip and spent an extra amount of time talking about Jasper.

Dad chuckled, "Sounds like you two are having a good time. It also sounds like this Jasper might be a little bit more than just a friend." He raised a brow toward Alice, and I actually saw her blush for the first time ever.

"Oh, he's definitely more than a friend," I supplied, unthinking.

"Well, as long as he treats Alice good; I'm glad she found someone. How 'bout you, Bells? Any significant man in your life?" Dad asked, without a hint of knowing.

So now it was my turn to blush while Alice giggled. "Uh…well, there is sort of someone I recently started dating. I don't know if you'd consider him significant just yet, but umm…yeah." It was awkward discussing men with my father. He'd only met two guys I'd dated before. The one I dated shortly around prom time and dumbass Mike. My choices so far had not been stellar.

"Mhmm, does this someone have a name?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes dramatically and replied, "Of course, he has a name. It's Edward…Cullen. Look, Dad. I know you saw the article in the gossip paper, and before you ask…we weren't even seeing each other back then. Like I said, it's recent. Really recent…as in, last week."

"But, this Edward…he is your boss, right?"

"Yes, Dad. He is one of my bosses, but it's not how you think it is. We met before I started working there, and nothing inappropriate has ever happened at work. We share some of the same friends, and we just grew a lot closer outside of work. He really is a great guy. I think you would like him."

Alice decided to help me out a little. She nodded her head and said, "He really is a great guy, Charlie. You should see the way he treats Bella. He's very respectful and sweet."

"Well, he most definitely better be respectful and sweet, but he better make damn sure he's careful with my little girl. I just don't want you to get hurt, Bella. I'm not sure it's such a good thing to be dating your boss, and apparently, he has a daughter as well. Is there an angry ex added to the mix? These kind of situations can be really messy. I want you to make sure you know what you're getting in to. There are a lot of good men out there. You deserve to be happy, without so many…complications."

Alice let out a small giggle from her seat at the table. Dad and I both turned to look at her with confused expressions on our faces. She wasn't even paying attention to us. Instead, she had her Blackberry in her hand, typing away a message. She looked up when she realized we were watching her, squeaked out a 'sorry', and hopped up to clear the dishes from the table while Dad and I finished up our discussion.

"I do know what I'm getting in to, and it's not messy at all. I'm positive it won't effect my job, and Bethany, his daughter, is the most precious thing ever. There is no angry ex in either of their lives. They were never married, and she signed away all her rights as soon as the baby was born. And Edward…he's almost perfect. He's compassionate and caring. He's an awesome father…He kind of reminds me of you, in that respect."

Dad held both hands up in a gesture of surrender and chuckled. "Okay, kiddo. I trust your judgment. I just worry about you, you know?"

I got up and gave him a hug before helping Alice finish the dishes. "I know, Dad. I appreciate it. I do. But, I don't think you need to worry this time."

After breakfast clean up, Dad and I got ready for our fishing trip to the lake. We dropped Alice off at her parents' house on the way. I was glad we were lucky enough to get some good weather while we were here. Although it was pretty cold; the sun was shining, and there wasn't any rain.

I spent the entire day with my dad, out on the lake in his small fishing boat. We didn't catch a ton of fish, but it was nice quality time together. We talked about both our jobs. Dad caught me up on the local news. I even talked more about Edward and Jellybean. I understood how it didn't look like the perfect situation from a father's perspective, but the more I talked about it, the more Dad seemed to warm up to the idea.

Alice spent the day antiquing with her mom. She loved the gift Alice brought her, and insisted they go shopping for more matching pieces. When they got back home, Alice was treated to a fatherly interrogation about Jasper from her dad.

Later that evening, we met up with some old friends from high school and had a bonfire on the beach. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, and had a few drinks. It was fun catching up with everyone. I sat on a log near the fire, listening to their stories and laughter while I stared up at a star filled sky. A smile crossed my face as I remembered my promise to show this sky to Edward someday. A few minutes later, I received my goodnight text from Edward. I answered with the usual 'sweet dreams', adding 'wish you were here' to the message.

Sometime after midnight, Alice and I made it back to our respective parent's home for the night.

The next morning, I made pancakes and sausage for myself and Dad. I spent a few more hours cooking some meals and freezing them for him to have after I was gone. We hung around the house, watching football together before we headed to Alice's for dinner with her family.

About an hour after dinner, we said our goodbyes with hugs and kisses. Then, Dad dropped us off at the airport. Alice and I both text our guys to let them know we were headed home.

Jasper was already waiting for us when we arrived, around twelve-thirty at night. Even though I missed my dad already, and our visit was a short one, I was glad to be back. On the ride home, I text Edward to let him know I arrived safely.

_Back in New York! - Bella_

_Glad you're in the same city as me again. I missed you. Nice trip? - Edward_

_Yes, nice trip. I missed you too! - Bella_

_Good, I'm glad. - Edward_

_Glad that you had a nice trip. - Edward_

_Also, glad that you missed me ;) - Edward_

_I still miss you. Can't wait to see you at work in the morning. - Bella_

_Me too. Goodnight, sweet angel! - Edward_

_Sweet dreams! - Bella_


	18. Ch18 Halloween

**Quick note: Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been on vacation, but I'm back now and will resume regular postings. This chapter has both Edward and Bella's point of views. I don't usually like to retell the same scenes, but at this early stage in their relationship, I wanted to share both their thoughts. Thanks again for reading and reviewing! **

Chapter 18

EPOV

There is no better way to start off a Monday morning than kissing your girl in your office. Especially when your girl is Bella Swan, who has the softest, sweetest lips in existence.

I was glad she wasn't upset about our picture hitting the news stand again. Maybe it wasn't the best way for everyone to find out about us, but it did solve the problem of how to tell them. I expected my dad to show up at my office again, or a slew of phone calls and questions from the rest of my family, but no one said anything. I know they had to have seen the paper; I guess they were just going to let it unfold naturally. Maybe they were afraid I would freak out if they mentioned it. A couple weeks ago, that would probably have been the case.

I hated how our schedules didn't line up for the week. I had a brand new girlfriend that I couldn't get together with. Even lunch was a no go. I had no idea Bella spent her lunch hour on Mondays at her other job. For some reason, it made me feel terrible that she had been missing lunch all this time and I never knew. I tried to tell her to take extra time to get something to eat. She told me she was good with the apple she ate on the way. An apple was _not_ lunch_. I would have to remember to bring her something more substantial next week. _I laughed to myself, thinking of packing her lunch right along side Bethy's in the mornings. _I wonder if Bella likes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and baby carrot sticks._

Fortunately, Bella agreed to meet me at New Moon for dinner on Wednesday. At least I was able to spend _some_ time with her before she left for the weekend; even if I had to share the time with our friends. It actually turned out to be one of my favorite times there. I should have known; everything seems better with Bella there. The weird thing was…no one even acted like there was anything different about Bella and I being there together. It felt like we had always been that way. It was comfortable and easy.

Thursday, I was happy to 'accidentally' run into Bella while I was out with Bethy. The wax museum was pretty boring, but dinner afterward was fun. It was another occasion that felt completely normal. The only downfall was sending her home without a goodnight kiss.

Friday evening, Jasper drove the girls to the airport. He called to set up a poker night at his house after he dropped them off. I think he was feeling lonely without Alice and wanted a distraction. I was right on board with him, considering I was feeling pretty much the same way.

Emmett, Gabe, and Dean showed up at Jasper's a few minutes after I did. We ordered pizza and threw back a few beers while we played cards. It was a typical guys night in.

Around half past two in the morning, Jasper's phone and mine beeped with an incoming text. We both looked at each other and smiled, knowing our girls had arrived in their hometown. We both sent quick responses and resumed the card game.

Most of Saturday was spent on band practice. Rosalie took Bethy out for shopping and lunch, so she didn't have to be 'bothered with all our noise'.

The rest of the weekend crept by, waiting for Bella's text to let me know she was home. For some reason, just knowing that she was so far away made me miss her a lot. I'm not even sure we would have seen each other even if she had stayed in New York this weekend, but there was something comforting about knowing she was close by, just in case.

Monday finally arrived, and I was eager to get to work. Well, not exactly for work reasons, more like 'seeing Bella reasons'. I thought about calling to offer her a ride to work, but then I remembered she would need to go to the _Times_ during lunch. So instead, I packed her a lunch when I made Bethy's.

I was twenty minutes early, but still not the first one there. As soon as the elevator doors opened, I was greeted by a beautiful, smiling Bella.

"Hey. It's kind of weird being the first one here," she said.

"Anxious to see me?" I teased.

"There was a lot less traffic than I thought there would be, but yeah…I was looking forward to seeing you," she replied with a blush.

I wrapped my arms around her for a hug and chuckled into her hair. "I was just teasing. You, however, were the entire incentive in my early arrival this morning." I planted a kiss on top of her head before breaking our embrace. Handing her the brown bag, I added, "Here. I packed you some lunch today. Make sure you eat this time, when you rush off to your other job."

She took the bag and peeked inside, giggling when she lifted up the small package of animal cookies that was inside. I had to laugh; it's the same thing Bethy does when I hand her lunch to her. She always has to check out what kind of snack is in there for dessert.

"Thanks! I'll be sure to eat everything," she said, stretching up on her toes to give me a kiss. The kiss lasted until we heard the elevator ding, alerting us of Rosalie's arrival.

Tuesday, I did manage to enjoy a lunch date with Bella. It was nothing fancy, just sandwiches at the deli a few blocks from work. I was just glad to spend some time with her outside of the office. It felt like we were both busy with other things too often. I, of course, had Bethy and the band. Bella had her second job and volunteer work for the children's charity. I told Bella I was worried we would never have time to go on a real date. She laughed and said that everything we did together was perfect. I still insisted on planning a traditional dinner and movie date for Saturday night.

I picked Bella up for work on Wednesday, since my mom was planning to drop Bethy off with me and take Bella with her to the children's carnival. I had to spend lunch with Dad, discussing the progress with the situation in London. James, Victoria, and Laurent had still been detained since the initial arrest; they were not granted bail. Dad was flying back sometime next week for the court date.

At five o'clock exactly, a mini version of Cinderella bounced her way into the office, carrying a bright orange pumpkin bucket. She was too excited to stand still in one spot.

"Come on, Daddy! We gotta go! Hurry! It's trick-or-treat time."

"Calm down, Bethy, baby. You're not gonna miss anything," I chuckled as she pulled on my hand to lead me towards the elevator.

Mom had picked her up from preschool early, gotten her hair professionally done, taken her to eat dinner, and gotten her dressed in her costume. Bethy was more than ready to start her trick-or-treating fun. Mom and Bella laughed and waved goodbye to us as my three year old daughter forcefully dragged me into the elevator.

Our first stop was Katie's house. The two girls made plans to go trick-or-treating together. Since Katie lived in a nice neighborhood, full of houses instead of apartments, we decided to make our rounds there. I had a huge smile plastered on my face when a tiny Snow White opened the door for my little Cinderella. The two Disney princesses jumped up and down with excitement while Charlotte, Katie's mom, tried to get them to hold still long enough to snap a few pictures.

Charlotte invited us in and pointed to the kitchen counter which held a few different types of pizzas. "Katie just finished eating, but you guys help yourselves if you're hungry."

I thanked her and graciously accepted a couple of slices while she posed the girls for a few more pictures. As previously discussed, Charlotte stayed home to pass out candy while I took the girls around the neighborhood to collect their treats.

After hitting every house in the neighborhood, we returned to Katie's, and the girls dumped out their buckets on the kitchen table. They compared their loot and traded a few pieces with each other for their favorites.

We finally ended up at the carnival where Mom and Bella were volunteering. Mom was at the door, wishing a happy Halloween to everyone on their way out while passing out goodie bags to the kids. She smiled and walked over to us, dropping a goodie bag in Bethy's pumpkin bucket.

Bethy squealed happily and held her bucket up for Mom to look inside. "Thank you, Nana. Look at all the candy my punkin gots!"

Mom faked a shocked expression, throwing her hand up to her open mouth and replied, "My goodness! That is a lot! Don't eat too much at one time though; there's enough candy in that bucket to last you until next Halloween."

Bethy giggled and nodded her head.

Mom leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "We still have about fifteen minutes left before we start cleaning up. Why don't you take Bethy around to a couple of the booths while you wait."

I led Bethy, by the hand, over to the nearest booth while I glanced around the room for Bella. I knew all the volunteers were dressing up as story book characters, but Bella had refused to tell me what her costume was. While Bethy tossed a few beanbags at the game, I smiled when I noticed the beautiful brunette across the room. Her hair was tied in two low ponytails using blue ribbons. She was wearing a blue gingham apron style dress and ruby red slippers. She was smiling sweetly as she painted something on the face of a little girl.

I waited while Bethy chose a prize from the cardboard treasure chest, then led her over to the face painting table. Her eyes and her smile grew big when she realized Bella was the girl dressed up as Dorothy. "Daddy, it's Izzybelwa! I want her to paint a picture on me too."

We stood in line behind a girl dressed as a black cat, while Bella painted a pink nose and whiskers on her face. I noticed a small basket containing a stuffed dog, on the table next to Bella as I took in her whole appearance. I knew she was a little embarrassed about having to dress up, but she really did make the perfect Dorothy. She was very cute.

Once she finished making up the cat girl, she spotted Bethy and glowed with happiness. "Oh, my gosh, Jellybean! Come here and give me a hug," she said, seconds before Bethy jumped into her arms.

Bella squeezed her arms around Bethy before pulling away to get a better look at her. "I barely got to see you in your costume earlier. I guess you were too excited about getting to the trick-or-treating. You really are the best looking Cinderella I've ever seen. Did you get a lot of candy?"

Bethy nodded and held her bucket out for Bella to inspect, then asked, "Can you paint something on my face, Izzybelwa?"

"Oh, let's see. I really don't want to mess up your pretty little face with this silly paint. How about I paint a happy pumpkin on your hand instead?" Bella finally looked over at me, biting her bottom lip. I gave her an amused smirk, my eyes scanning up and down her body.

She glanced down at herself and blushed. Before I could comment on her cute outfit, she gave me a pointed glare and warned, "If you know what's good for you, you will not make any goofy remarks about my costume."

I laughed and said, "I was only going to say that you look beautiful."

"Sure you were," she chuckled, grabbing Bethy's hand and proceeding to paint an orange circle. She added a stem and a silly face to the painting while asking Bethy about her evening.

Bethy happily told her all the details while she watched with fascination as the jack-o-lantern took shape on her skin.

Since we were the last ones in line, and it was time to close up the carnival anyway, I helped Bella pack up her supplies. She handed Bethy the dog in a basket and told her she could keep it as a Halloween treat. Bethy blurted out a quick 'thank you' and ran over to show it to her Nana.

Bella and I helped fold up all the tables and put them away while others carried the left over supplies out of the building. Once the floor was swept and the place was clean, Bella told me to give her a minute to go change, saying, "I know it's Halloween, but I'm still not going to the club dressed like this…no way." She said goodbye to my mom and Bethy before heading to the bathroom with her change of clothes.

I carried Bethy to Mom's car and gave them both a kiss goodnight. I walked back into the building to wait for Bella, arriving just as she was coming out of the bathroom. She had changed into a pair of dark skinny jeans and a red sweater. Her hair was free from the blue ribbons, flowing in long waves down her back. The heels of her black ankle boots clicked on the hard floor as she walked towards me with a sexy smile on her face.

I wrapped my arm around her waist and leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips. "You ready to go?" I asked.

"Mmm, I've been missing that," she spoke quietly, turning her body to wrap her arms around me in a hug. She placed a tender kiss on my neck before resting her head against my chest, releasing a content sigh.

I held her body close to mine, pressing one hand firmly in the middle of her back and caressing her hair with my other hand. I could feel the need for closeness radiating from us both. I breathed in deeply, absorbing her heavenly scent. My mind was nearly spinning out of control when I realized that this perfect girl could quite possibly have been created to be wrapped up in my arms just like this. No one had ever made me feel this kind of connection with a simple embrace before.

I pressed my lips to the top of her head and squeezed her a little tighter before letting go. "Come on, pretty girl. We need to get going."

"Okay," she responded, taking my hand to follow me to my car.

The inside of the club was darker than normal, hosting several black lights and random flashes of color strobes. It took a few minutes for us to find our group of friends in the crazy mix of Halloween partiers. About half the crowd was dressed in costumes, while the other half wore normal club wear.

The opening band was more than halfway through their set by the time we arrived. Bella and I spent a little time with our friends, chatting and having a drink before the band and I had to get ready to take the stage. Bella told me to have a good show, and I pulled her to me for a long kiss before leaving her with Alice and Rosalie.

When we stepped onto the stage, I noticed our girls had made their way toward the front row. I winked at Bella and gave her a crooked smile just before I started to sing. Throughout the show, all three girls were jumping up and down, dancing in their spots, waving their hands in the air, shouting out to the band, singing along, and occasionally taking pictures with their cell phones. They were really playing up the roles of crazy fan girls.

As soon as our performance was done, the club staff helped us quickly remove our equipment from the stage while Dean and Gabe loaded it in the van. I was a sweaty mess by the time I reached Bella in the crowd again. Emmett and Jasper were right behind me, as anxious to join the girls as I was.

"You were really great up there tonight," Bella commented with a big smile and a dreamy look in her eyes.

I chuckled and scooped her up for a not so chaste kiss. "I think you were my number one fan in the crowd."

"I was…I always will be," she purred in my ear.

Even though we weren't doing an official 'meet and greet' or autograph signing tonight, there are always a few fans who seek us out anyway. A small group of girls with a couple of guys found their way over to us. They gave the normal 'great show' compliments, and a few of the girls supplied the band with friendly hugs. Two of the more outspoken women approached me after giving hugs to Emmett and Jasper. They practically attacked me with their bodies, wrapping their arms around me and bouncing against me. "Oh, my god! You were so awesome tonight," they both screeched.

Bella let go of my hand and uncomfortably stepped back a little. I reached behind me, taking her hand and pulling her back beside me. Trying not to be too off-putting, I returned the girls' affection with a one armed, friendly hug and a simple, "Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the show."

I leaned down to whisper in Bella's ear, "Uh, uh. Don't you dare leave my side."

She smiled shyly and gripped my hand tighter. The two girls finally seemed to notice she was standing there, attached to my hand. They reluctantly backed off, but didn't hesitate in leaving me with one last 'I really want to fuck you' look. I'm pretty sure I heard Bella growl as they walked away.

"Sorry about that. It's kind of hard to avoid sometimes. Although, I wish there was an easier way to get rid of crazy fans without being purposely rude," I told her, wrapping both arms around her securely.

"It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong. It's not your fault those girls are such sluts," she answered with an angry frown in the direction of the retreating pair.

I didn't want to tease her, but it was kind of nice feeling her possessiveness over me. "Don't be jealous, baby. You're the only crazy fan girl I want to spend my time with," I stated, pressing my hips into her firmly while sucking and kissing on her neck.

She groaned and tugged on my hair to pull me away from her neck. "Don't tease me like that, Edward," she pleaded next to my ear, before playfully nipping at my lobe with her teeth. I was the one to groan that time.

"I really need to get cleaned up and change out of these sweaty clothes before I can enjoy the rest of the night with you. Do you want to come upstairs with me, or wait down here with your friends?"

A small crease formed between her brows as she considered my question. "Umm, no…I think I'll just wait for you here. Don't take too long though." Suddenly I realized that the last time we were both here, she caught me upstairs with two half naked women all over me. I'm sure it was her recollection of that memory that had her looking slightly upset at the moment. It seemed like such a long time ago, and I'd almost completely forgotten about any other women before Bella. The fact that it obviously made Bella feel uncomfortable, totally made me feel like shit.

Placing my fingers under her chin, I tipped her face up to meet my pleading eyes. "Bella, you do know that you really are the only woman I want, right? Not just tonight, but any and every night. There's no one else in the world that compares to you," I declared honestly.

She gave me a small smile and replied, "I know. Hurry back."

I freshened up and changed in the private bathroom upstairs and joined Bella again as quickly as I could. She was standing near the bar, talking with our friends. I walked up behind her, wrapping both arms around her waist and kissing her shoulder. She turned her head to face me and smiled before delivering a tender kiss to my lips.

I noticed the house DJ had taken over the entertainment for the night, and the beginning of a slow song started to play. I leaned closer to her ear and said, "Come dance with me, my sweet girl."

She wrapped her hands in mine and walked out to the dance floor. Our bodies started swaying to the music as we stared deeply into each other's eyes. I wanted her to know without a doubt that she was the only one who consumed me the way she did, but I couldn't find any words to convey exactly how I felt. Something in the way she looked at me, told me she already knew. Our wordless stares turned into passionate kisses as the rest of the crowded dance floor dissolved from my mind.

After that slow song ended, we stayed on the dance floor for a couple more fast songs. Our tender moment evolved into playful fun with a bit of a sexual undertone.

The DJ announced open mic for karaoke if anyone wanted to take the stage, and I groaned in protest. I've always hated karaoke in drunken bar settings. Everyone who couldn't carry half a tune ended up thinking they were the 'next American Idol' and proceeded to sufficiently embarrass themselves on the stage.

We reassembled with our friends near the bar and ordered a couple of drinks. Everyone was laughing and having a good time, sporadically making fun of a few of the terrible singers on the stage. Surprisingly, there were a few of them that weren't that bad. At some point, Alice disappeared, only to reappear moments later; whispering something in Bella's ear.

"No way, Alice! Why did you do that?" Bella asked her.

"Come on, Bella. Just once for old time's sake? You know you want to." Alice replied.

"Alice, if I wanted to, don't you think I would have done it myself? You really shouldn't have." Bella complained.

"Bella…just go," Alice giggled.

I didn't know exactly what was going on between the two of them, but it was sort of amusing. Bella slipped from my grip, rolling her eyes, and said, "I'll be right back."

Before I had a chance to ask her where she was going, Alice grabbed my arm and said, "Come on. You don't want to miss this!" She started dragging me toward the stage, and the rest of our friends followed. The next thing I knew, Bella was walking up to the microphone, sending a glare towards Alice. _So, this must be what they were arguing about. Alice had signed her up for karaoke!_

Shit! Bella didn't know how much I hated karaoke, but since she was brave enough to get up there, I knew I would never tell her. Emmett poked me in my back and chuckled, nodding his head towards Bella.

"Yeah, I know, Em. You better not do anything to embarrass her; I'm warning you now," I threatened.

Jasper looked worried, but Alice stood there with a smug look on her face.

The music started playing, and I recognized the song. It was _Truly Madly Deeply_, by Savage Garden. I knew the song. It was never one of my favorites, but it was okay.

I looked at Bella with what I'd hoped was a comforting smile. She smirked back at me and winked before she started to sing.

"**I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish, I'll be your fantasy…I'll be your hope, I'll be your love, Be everything that you need…"**

_Holy shit! My girl can sing! _My ears were assaulted with the most beautiful melody of her voice. She sang out loud and confident; not a hint of nervousness. My jaw dropped open unintentionally. I was amazed…impressed…mesmerized. Her sultry voice sang the song a million times better than the original artist. It was like it was written specifically for her voice.

"**I love you more with every breath…Truly madly deeply do…" **

The other thing that surprised me was the fact that she didn't just stand there like a statue, reading lyrics off the screen and mumbling words. She removed the microphone from the stand and waltzed across the stage, actually performing for the crowd. And the crowd really loved her. By the time she hit the chorus, I was beyond impressed.

"**I want to stand with you on a mountain. I want to bathe with you in the sea. I want to lay like this forever. Until the sky falls down on me…"**

Emmett slapped the back of my shoulder and gasped out, "Holy shit, dude!"

"**And when the stars are shining brightly in the velvet sky, I'll make a wish - send it to heaven and make you want to cry…"**

She closed her eyes, seemingly lost in the music, and her body swayed on the stage during the bridge. She opened her eyes and was looking straight at me when the vocals resumed.

"**Oh, can't you see it baby? You don't have to close your eyes, 'cuz it's standing right before you. All that you need will surely come…I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish, I'll be your fantasy. I'll be your hope, I'll be your love, be everything that you need. I'll love you more with every breath…Truly madly deeply do…"**

The song ended with cheers and applause from the crowd. It wasn't until then, that shy Bella started to blush. She jumped off the stage, immediately finding me and burying her face in my chest.

"Baby, that was awesome. You're unbelievable! Shit, you should be the one up on that stage instead of me," I complimented.

"No, I couldn't do that all the time. It's embarrassing," she mumbled into my chest.

The rest of our group joined in the complimenting.

"Damn, B. You make the rest of us look like amateurs," Emmett yelled.

"Wow, Bella. Just…wow!" said Rosalie.

"Great job, Bella. You were really good up there. I'm impressed," Jasper commented.

"Bella was the queen of karaoke back in college. I knew she'd still be amazing! I wouldn't have forced her otherwise," Alice said.

"Okay, that's enough. Don't make a big deal out of this. Let's just drop it and not mention this again. Okay?" Bella pleaded.

I chuckled and pulled her back towards the bar to order another drink. Everyone else followed suit. We stayed for a little while longer, until Emmett suggested we all go somewhere to get something to eat. We all agreed to meet up at IHOP for breakfast food.

None of us had drank too much at the club, and by the time we finished eating, everyone was completely sober. Since it was so late, Bella decided to ride home with Alice. I walked them to the car to say goodnight. Before opening the door for Bella, I pulled her aside and brushed her cheek with the back of my fingers, wanting to say so much before I let her leave. But again, I couldn't find any words. I cupped the back of her neck lightly and brought her face up to kiss her lovely lips. She kissed me back, slowly at first. Five seconds later, her hands were tangled in my hair and our kisses seemed more desperate; electrically charged.

I heard Alice rev the engine, waiting for Bella to join her in the car. I kissed Bella once more and asked her to text me when she got home safely. I helped her into the car and watched them drive away.

A few minutes after my body hit the bed, my phone chirped with a new text.

_Safely at home. Sweet dreams, Edward. - Bella_

_Thanks for a wonderful night, baby. Goodnight, sweet angel. - Edward_

BPOV

Even though I had gotten home late from my trip to Forks, I still woke up extra early the next morning. I tried to go back to sleep for a bit, but it was useless. All I could do was think about Edward. I had missed him over the weekend and was anxious to see him again.

I showed up at work earlier than intended. I was a little embarrassed to be the first one there, but Edward showed up just a few minutes behind me. He was so sweet, wrapping me in a hug and handing me a bagged lunch. I was overwhelmed at how thoughtful he was, remembering I didn't usually have time for lunch on Mondays.

Inside the bag, there was chicken salad on a croissant, a bag of grapes, a small package of animal cookies, and a bottled water. The animal cookies reminded me of our time at the zoo; it also made me feel like a little kid again. That thought made me giggle in response.

Tuesday, Edward and I shared lunch together at the nice deli down the street. He was worried about us not having any proper dates with each other. I told him it was unnecessary, but agreed to let him take me to dinner and a movie Saturday night.

I told him my new assignment for the _Times_ was one of those bus tours of the city. It was a 'see all of New York City in five hours' tour. The newspaper only supplied one ticket this time, and I didn't really want to drag anyone along to go through sites they were already familiar with anyway. My tour was scheduled for Sunday, so basically, my whole day was going to be consumed with working on my article.

After work, my fellow volunteers and I decorated the community center for the Halloween carnival. We set up all the booths for the games, tables for refreshments, and my face painting station. Later that night, Edward text me goodnight and informed me of his plans to pick me up for work in the morning.

When it was time to leave work on Wednesday, I saw a flash of a tiny Cinderella exit the elevator with Esme. The light blue blur dragged her daddy off as quickly as possible. I took my costume and rode with Esme to the carnival. She hadn't made any mention of my relationship with Edward while we were together yesterday, and I wondered if she was waiting for one of us to make some kind of big announcement. On the drive to the community center, she finally made the acknowledgement.

"Bella, I just wanted you to know how pleased I am that you and Edward decided to get together. I'm not going to be nosey or butt in your relationship; I just wanted to let you know how happy I am about this."

I couldn't think of a proper response, so I shyly uttered, "Thanks. I, uh…really like Edward a lot."

She giggled and added, "I know things are very new between the two of you, and I don't want to put any extra pressure on your relationship. It's just that…you have no idea the changes I see in him already. He's actually happy now…smiling a genuine smile with a new light in his eyes. Don't get me wrong…he's always happy with Bethany, but it's nice to see him happy with something _just for him _for a change." Her smile faltered a bit before she frowned and carefully asked, "Has he told you anything about Tanya, Bethany's mom?"

Although I felt a little uncomfortable talking to his mom about such things, I answered without much detail, "Yes, he told me the story."

She looked a little uncomfortable as well, but continued, "Carlisle and I never really liked Tanya very much. However, we tried, for Edward's sake, to make her feel welcomed in our family. When we learned she was pregnant, I had to helplessly watch as my youngest son struggled so hard to make things right between them. Edward's the kind of man that takes his responsibilities very seriously. He loved the baby from the moment he knew about her. As a mother, I was very proud of his efforts, but I knew the whole time that she wasn't going to stick around in the end. It broke my heart, knowing how that…_that_…_Tanya_…shattered him completely. We're just lucky we were blessed with Bethany out of that whole mess."

My vision became blurred with unshed tears. Hearing Esme describe the sad state her son was in, and remembering Edward's version of the story, was almost more than I could take. The anger towards a woman I'd never met flared up in me again. "She'll never hurt him again," I uttered under my breath.

I didn't mean for Esme to hear me, and I'm not sure if she did. But she gently patted my leg and said, "Edward's a really good man. He has such a big heart and so much love to share. I have a feeling you're a lot alike in that way. I'm sure you'll both be good to each other."

I nodded and tried to wipe my watery eyes without her notice. Nothing else was said on the matter. As we finished the drive, Esme changed the conversation to talk about all the activities she thought the kids would enjoy at the carnival.

I changed into my Dorothy costume and manned my face painting station. I had a good time watching all the kids running from game to game at the carnival. I painted countless designs on excited little faces and felt a huge satisfaction in donating my time to this event. Near the end of the night, my last customer was a perfect version of the Cinderella princess. I was so happy to hear all about her evening trick-or-treating with her friend.

I noticed Edward's amused expression when he looked over my costume. I warned him not to make any goofy comments, and thankfully, he didn't.

After I said goodbye to Jellybean and Esme, I changed out of my costume and met Edward as he was coming back into the building. He treated me to a sweet kiss, but I had been dying to be closer to him all day. I initiated a tight embrace, and we lingered in it as long as we could.

Once we got to the club, I was excited to catch up with my friends and anxious to see Edward perform again. Rosalie, Alice, and I watched from close to the stage. We noticed all the wild girls ogling our men and decided to amp up our fan-girl act. All three of us had a blast; dancing, screaming, and taking pictures with our phones. I might have felt a little possessive, watching all the sexy girls going crazy over my man.

After the show, Edward joined me in the crowd. I was actually in a 'dreamy fan-girl state' when he kissed me. The first time I'd ever seen him perform, I was definitely attracted to him, but this time I completely wanted to drag him off the stage and ravage his body. It was different…watching him up there and knowing he was mine. I liked it a lot!

My good mood was almost wiped out when two drunken sluts pounced on him. I started to get nervous and didn't know what to do. So, I let go of his hand and took a step back to let him deal with his fans. I was surprised, but pleased, when he pulled me back to him before dismissing the girls. I didn't think my jealousy showed, but Edward started to tease me about it anyway.

For a moment, I lost my composure when he asked me to go upstairs with him. Flashes of the last time I saw him there, with two half naked women crawling over him, caused me to feel a little dejected. He must have remembered the same thing because he tried to reassure me that I was the only one he wanted. In my heart, I knew that. He had given me no reason to suspect otherwise. I knew it was just my insecurities planting that seed of doubt.

When he came back, freshened up and in new clothes, I pushed all my doubts aside. We shared a slow dance together. The feelings radiating between us were…intense. I almost slipped up and told him I loved him. I hadn't considered being in love with him before, and I wasn't positive I was ready to let myself fall that hard yet. I knew I had really strong feelings for him, and he made me want to melt every time we were together. Instead of words, I threw my emotions into a kiss.

We danced to a couple of fast songs together, and…damn! My guy really knew how to move on the dance floor. I was so hot and bothered, I had no idea how I was still standing. We headed back to the bar when the DJ announced the start of karaoke.

I should have known Alice would rope me into singing. I tried to argue with her, but it really wasn't that big of a deal. I had spent most of my college weekends in karaoke clubs, goofy around with friends. Even though I wasn't exactly nervous about performing again, I had a lot less inhibitions when I was a carefree college student. Plus, I wasn't sure I wanted Edward and his friends to hear me sing. They were real performers, and I was sure I'd pale in comparison. Nevertheless, I accepted Alice's challenge and made my way to the stage. I had to admit, I knew I was much better than most of the bozos trying to carry a tune there tonight.

Once I was on the stage, I noticed our group had moved up to the front to watch me. I sent Alice a playful glare, and she laughed. Edward looked like he was a little nervous for me, which pushed me to be a little more confident. I gave him a little smirk and a wink like he had given me before his performance.

_Truly Madly Deeply _was one of my favorite songs to sing. I knew all the words by heart, so I didn't need to watch the screen. I moved around the stage and sang to the crowd. It actually felt good to be singing again. I think I lost myself in the lyrics a little as I realized the words I was singing when my eyes met Edward's. As soon as I was finished, I dashed off the stage and rushed into Edward's arms. I was slightly embarrassed by the praise of my friends, but my heart melted when Edward called me 'baby' for the second time tonight. I had never been extremely fond of that term of endearment until then. Hearing him refer to me that way, made me feel like someone special to him.

All of us went out to eat at IHOP after the club. Emmett and Rosalie, Jasper and Alice, Dean and Sarah, Gabe and Heidi, and Edward and I sat around a large table, ordering enough food to feed an army. We all talked about the evening and made jokes with one another. Everyone had a good night.

Edward walked me to Alice's car and pulled me aside for a goodnight kiss. I felt like there was something he wanted to say, but instead, he devoured me in kisses. We pulled ourselves together when Alice revved the engine, signaling it was time to go.

In our goodnight text, Edward called me 'baby' again, and I fell asleep with my heart jumping and my body tingling. However, I had never been more content in my life. _I think I might really be falling in love with Edward Cullen._


	19. Ch19 Puddle Jumping

Chapter 19

EPOV

"Bella, this is silly. I'm not doing it," I announced.

"No, it's not. It's fun. Come on, Edward," Bella begged.

I looked down at the wide mud puddle and then across it, to where Bella was standing. When Bella suggested going for a walk in the park and jumping mud puddles, I thought it was more like a metaphor. Obviously, she was serious.

"Can't we just go for a walk like normal couples?" I asked.

"We _could_…if you really want to be a stick in the mud," she said, giggling at her own joke. "What's wrong, Edward? Afraid you can't keep up with me?"

"You really shouldn't have said that," I growled playfully, before taking a giant leap over the puddle.

Her eyes opened wider, and she screamed out before trying to outrun me. I caught up to her quickly and threw her over my shoulder. Heading toward the next big puddle, I pulled her off my shoulder and started swinging her in my arms as if I was going to toss her in the muddy water. She squealed and clung tightly to my neck, not allowing me to let her go. I laughed loudly and buried my face in her neck, biting her playfully. She pretended to fight me off by lightly beating her tiny fists on my back. I laughed again and tickled her before planting her back on her feet. The smile she gave me could have lit up the whole city. _I would jump over a thousand mud puddles if it could make her smile like that again!_

Grabbing my hand and tugging with all her strength, she motivated me to continue walking with her. "Come on! Let's find some really good puddles to jump!" she enthused. She skipped for a couple of steps, then raised our linked hands high into the air so she could twirl herself under them.

We walked along in the park, ignoring the slight drizzle of rain that was still falling. We jumped several small puddles together, never letting go of each other's hand. Bella looked at me with the most adorable expression on her face and said, "See, it's fun. Right?"

I chuckled and rolled my eyes teasingly. "I _guess_," I replied, pretending to be indifferent. But the truth was, I couldn't even remember having so much fun before.

We continued walking on our quest to find the ultimate mud puddle. Both of our heads were covered with dripping strands of wet hair, and our jackets were starting to become soaked. I was getting ready to suggest we head back to her apartment before we both ended up sick, when suddenly, Bella gasped and pointed a few feet ahead of us.

"Look, Edward! The king of all mud puddles…right there in front of us." she spoke in an amazed tone. We walked closer to take a look at the puddle that was more like a small pond. She gave me an incredulous look and commented, "I don't know…maybe you should go first. You know, just in case…"

I had to laugh at her and shake my head. "Just in case what? In case it's too big, and I fall flat on my ass in the mud? And then you'll know not to attempt it, right?"

Her mouth dropped open as if she was offended I would think such things. She started to protest, and I couldn't help but to antagonize her further. I took a short running start and jumped to the other side. Turning around to see her, I added, "Come on, Bella! Afraid you can't keep up with me?" I quirked an eyebrow, daring her to try to make the jump.

"Ugh, step back," she demanded, motioning for me to move. I took a couple steps back and watched her take off running towards the puddle. Amazingly, she cleared it, but her left foot landed in the slippery edge of the mud. I saw her arms swing in wide circles, trying to gain her balance and prevent her fall. I grabbed a hold of her arm and tried to pull her towards me, but instead, Bella took me down with her. She landed flat on her back in the mud, with me half on top of her. She squirmed around and shoved on my chest, causing me to land in the mud right beside her. She lay there giggling hysterically for a minute, without even attempting to get up. I laughed and wrapped my arm around her, rolling her over and settling her on top of my chest. I grabbed both sides of her face with muddy hands and pulled her towards me. We kissed each other like horny teenagers, between fits of laughter.

Eventually, we helped each other out of the mud. Conquered by the 'king of mud puddles', we started our walk back to Bella's apartment. Aside from a few curious stares from people on the street, we made it back to her place unscathed.

I noticed Bella's teeth were chattering and her body was shivering as she tried to fit the key in the lock. I realized then; I was also freezing. It was November, and our clothes were thoroughly soaked; it made sense that we were both cold.

We stepped inside her apartment and immediately started taking our wet jackets off. "I guess maybe it wasn't the best idea to go puddle jumping in November," she said as she dropped her jacket on the floor and ran her hands up and down her arms to warm up. She was such a mess, but she was _my_ beautiful mess.

"Do all of your puddle jumping excursions end this way?" I asked, gesturing to our soaked and muddy clothing.

She looked at me with a serious expression on her face and nodded. "Usually. I mean, what's the point in stopping before you're defeated?"

I stood there, staring back at her before we both burst out laughing again. "You're definitely something special, Isabella Swan."

She smiled and motioned toward the hallway, saying, "Go ahead and jump in the shower first. Jasper probably has some clothes in Alice's room. I'll go look. I'm sure he wouldn't mind you borrowing something. The towels are in the hall closet. I'll throw all our stuff in the wash while you're in the shower."

I felt bad, thinking about leaving her in such a messy state while I selfishly got cleaned up before her. My next words left my mouth before I could stop to consider the implications. "You could always join me, you know," I offered, biting my bottom lip while I waited for her response.

She looked like she was struggling to make a decision, so I threw out a new offer. "Or you could go first. I feel bad leaving you standing here while I get cleaned up before you. You're freezing. You need to get under the warm water sooner than I do."

She shook her head and answered, "Edward…no, you go ahead. I'm not going to let you stand here all muddy either. I'm going to get out of these wet clothes and find you something to wear while our things are being washed."

I leaned in and kissed her, sucking her bottom lip into my mouth. "Okay, I won't take too long," I barely managed to say. Reluctantly, I left her to go take a shower.

BPOV

Saturday was here before I knew it, and I was more than ready for it. It was the day of my first real date with Edward. When he insisted on taking me out for a 'proper date', I didn't think it was necessary. We were already pretty comfortable together, and I thought whatever we did with each other was nice quality time. But since I had time to think about it, I was actually really excited to see how we related to each other in a more traditional setting.

Our date wasn't suppose to be until six o'clock; but at ten in the morning, Edward called to see if I wanted to hang out earlier. Apparently, Esme had decided she wanted to take Jellybean to visit Carlisle's sister for the day and had picked her up right after breakfast_. I guess Edward was bored without his daughter around, or he was so excited to see me that he couldn't wait any longer. Hey, it's possible._

I told him to come on over anytime he wanted to. I was just sitting around watching Saturday morning cartoons with Jasper. I didn't have any other plans for the day, and I was excited to see him too.

He showed up around eleven and joined me and Jasper on the couch. I offered him some of the Fruit Loops I was eating, but he declined because he had already eaten breakfast with Jellybean.

The three of us watched the end of _Looney Tunes_, arguing over whether Bugs Bunny was cooler than the Tasmanian Devil. Edward and I both thought Bugs Bunny's wit was untouchable. Jasper agreed that Bugs was smarter, but argued that he couldn't do anything cool like destroying everything in his path.

After my cartoon ended, Jasper switched the TV to the History Channel. There was a documentary about the Civil War that he had been wanting to see. We watched along with him for about an hour before Edward and I started to get restless. It had been pouring down rain all morning, so everyone seemed content just to hang around the apartment. But the documentary was a bit less than entertaining.

I got off the couch and stretched. I walked over to the sliding doors of the balcony to check the weather conditions. The rain had mostly stopped. There was only a light drizzle falling; nothing to keep you locked inside. I watched a few cars on the street, driving through huge puddles of water and spraying it out in waves from their tires. Then I got a great idea.

"Hey, Edward. Do you want to go for a walk in the park and jump mud puddles?" I asked excitedly.

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Sure."

Jasper started laughing and asked, "Bella, you did go to college and graduate, right?"

I stared blankly at him, wondering what kind of question that was. "Um, yes…"

He chuckled and replied, "Just checking. Sometimes I don't know if you're twenty-two or five. Cartoons, Fruit Loops, and puddle jumping…" He shook his head, still snickering, and turned towards Edward. "I think you might have your hands full with this one."

I frowned, not knowing if it was a compliment or an insult. Edward chuckled and got up from the couch to give me a soft kiss just below my ear. He straightened back up and hit me with his sexy, crooked smile. "I really hope so," he replied, more to me than Jasper.

I took his hand and started leading him towards the door. When I passed by Jasper, sitting on the couch, I couldn't resist sticking my tongue out at him like a five year old. He laughed loudly and said, "You two kids have fun!"

Once we got to the park, Edward seemed a bit reluctant to actually jump over the mud puddles. I didn't understand. Why did he agree if he didn't want to do it? I wouldn't let him back out though. With enough teasing, I knew he would join in.

We had a lot of fun, even when we eventually ended up falling in a huge puddle. It was nice to see Edward acting so carefree. It reminded me of Emmett's comments at the go-kart track. Edward really did need to embrace his inner child more often. _Everyone does; it feels good._

I was freezing by the time we made it back to my apartment. I told Edward to go ahead and hop in the shower while I took care of our muddy clothes. He completely floored me by telling me I could take a shower with him. I stood there frozen, a million thoughts running through my head. _Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! What do I do? What do I do?_

I knew Edward had already seen me almost naked. Then I remembered that the only part of him I'd seen naked was his chest. I really wanted to see the rest of him! _Would we end up having sex if I joined him? Was I ready for that? Was he ready for that? _I tried searching my mind for the right response.

Apparently, my mind took too long to come up with an answer. Edward changed his tune and offered to let me go first instead. I really wanted to take a shower with him, but I insisted he go first. I watched him walk down the hall and grab a towel from the closet before disappearing into the bathroom.

I knew Alice and Jasper had plans and wouldn't be home until later on that night, so I stripped my clothes off and carried them to the washing machine. Then I grabbed a towel from the closet and wrapped it around me while I went into Alice's room to look for a pair of Jasper's pants. I opened three drawers before I found some of his flannel lounge pants. I grabbed a pair and headed to the bathroom. I stopped before opening the door, hearing the water running from the other side_. Okay, what do I do? Slip in there, leave the pants, and gather his dirty clothes for the wash? _Then I realized that my sexy boyfriend _invited_ me in there with him. What kind of idiot would I have to be to turn down that offer? I made my decision and opened the door.

I could see his silhouette through the frosted glass of the shower doors. His clothes were folded neatly in a pile on the floor. I cleared my throat to get his attention and saw his head whip around in my direction. He slid the glass doors open enough to stick his head out. Looking at me with both brows raised, he asked, "Change your mind?"

My heart was beating so hard inside my chest. I barely registered the fact that my legs were slightly trembling. I was sure I couldn't speak, so I just nodded 'yes'.

He smiled, showing almost all of his teeth, and reached out a hand to me. "Well, then…come on in, baby."

That was it. My mind shut down, and I moved on autopilot. I dropped my towel and was in the shower with him in a matter of seconds. He pulled me under the hot spray of water with him and my body warmed instantly. Though, I think it was more from his naked body pressed against me than the heat of the water.

He held me close to his chest, letting the shower heat my skin as he stroked my hair. He brought his lips down to mine and kissed me sweetly. "Turn around," he requested as he reached for my shampoo bottle. He squeezed some onto his palm and started massaging it through my hair. It felt so good and so intimate. The way he took his time, lightly scratching across my scalp and gathering all the loose strands gently. He paused for a moment, peppering my shoulder with soft kisses. Then he pulled the shower hose down and brought it to my head, rinsing the sudsy shampoo from my hair.

He hung the shower hose back up and brushed my hair over to one side, exposing my neck and back. He started kissing and lightly sucking on the back of my neck while his hands found the soap and started rubbing it all over my back. I lazily tilted my head to the side, giving him better access as he continued kissing and sucking there. Next, his soapy hands ran down both my arms before resting on my waist. They moved across my stomach and continued upward until they were cupping both my breasts.

We had both remained silent up to this point. Once his hands started rubbing my breasts, gently squeezing, lifting, and pulling; the silence was broken. Edward let out a deep groan, pulling me tighter against his chest. His lips found their way back to my shoulder.

I started moaning and panting, dropping my head back against his shoulder. My hands reached back; one digging into the side of his hip, and the other gripping the hair on his head.

"Oh, my god! Edward…" I moaned.

Still cupping my breasts, he moved his hands enough to capture my hardened nipples between his fingers; adding pressure, pulling and tugging on them. "My god, Bella. You're body is so perfect," he whispered against my skin.

I twisted my body around until I was facing him and captured his lips with mine. His hands moved to my hips, pulling me closer. Our mouths fought for dominance until we both breathlessly pulled away.

He rubbed his thumb across my cheekbone and uttered, "You're so, so beautiful. I can't believe you're mine."

I ran my hands over his chest, still slippery from the soap that rubbed off my back. "Edward, I don't know if I can still go slow if we keep this up," I announced, not really wanting him to stop.

He kissed my lips once more, then pushed me towards the shower wall. "Let me make you feel good, Bella. I want to watch you come," he pleaded in a husky voice. One hand weaved through the hair at the back of my neck, securely pulling my head back a bit. He started kissing my neck, moving lower to my collarbone. Then lower again, until he was nipping at my breasts. His other hand slipped between my legs, sliding back and forth against my wetness.

"Oh, baby…you're so wet for me," he spoke with his lips around my nipple. He sucked and bit down hard enough to make me gasp. His tongue swirled around my hardened bud before trailing down to my navel as he sank down onto his knees. He kissed and tongued my bellybutton as if we were sharing a passionate kiss with our mouths. Both of his hands held a strong grip on my hips, holding me in place.

His kisses slowly started moving further south. His hands smoothed across the skin of my lower back. I felt him squeeze my ass, pulling me away from the wall and closer to his face. He placed one soft kiss to my bare mound and paused, drawing his thumb to the spot and making a trail to my swollen clit. He stroked it softly, his eyes focused on the attention his thumb was giving me. "Beautiful," he whispered, so softly I barely heard him.

"Mmm," I hummed. My legs felt like jelly, hardly able to hold myself up. I felt hot breath wash over my aching center as his mouth hovered oh so close. I involuntarily tensed a bit when he lifted one of my legs and placed it over his shoulder. I knew what was coming next, and even though my body was begging for it, I was still a little nervous. There had only been one other person who had done _this_ to me before, and I can't really say that I liked it. _I'd never been able to have an orgasm from oral sex before. What if there was something wrong with me?_

"Relax, Bella. I promise it'll be good," Edward uttered against my heat, seemingly reading my mind.

Every doubt in my head instantly disappeared as soon as I felt his soft lips tasting me. Hell, every coherent thought left my brain the second his tongue slid across my clit. He nipped…and sucked, and swirled his tongue around every nerve ending down there.

"Fuck…sooooo good," I moaned. I felt his tongue slide further inside me, and I muffled a scream by biting my lip. I watched in awe, as Edward made love to me with his mouth.

One set of fingers that were clenching my thighs, joined his tongue in exploration of my most intimate parts. His fingers rubbed small circles around my clit before switching places with his tongue.

I sucked in a deep breath when he pushed one, then two, fingers deep inside me. "Fuck…so hot and tight," he growled into my pussy, sending sweet vibrations through me.

He rocked his fingers in and out, hitting my most sensitive spot while his tongue was still lapping up my juices.

"Ung…Ed…ward…so…close…" I moaned in between panting breaths.

"Come for me, Bella. I want to watch you ride out the pleasure as your whole body comes completely undone by my touch," he commanded, looking up at me with hooded eyes.

His touch, combined with those words in the tone of his low but smooth voice, sent me over the edge. I braced one hand against the shower wall to hold myself up, and the other hand fisted tightly in Edward's hair. Every bit of my skin felt electrified. My nipples tightened; my chest was heaving; my heart was racing; my clit was pulsating; and my inner walls were clenching and unclenching around Edward's fingers as I shouted out his name in praise.

After riding out the longest orgasm I've ever had, my body melted as I slid down the wall and into Edward's tight embrace. He held me close to him, soothingly rubbing my back while I tried to get my breathing under control.

"So beautiful…you're perfect," he said, kissing me on the top of my head.

Once I was able to function properly, I pulled him in for a sweet kiss and told him, "That was amazing!"

Returning my sweet kiss for another, he replied, "I'm glad you liked it." He gave me a cocky smirk and stood up, pulling my hand to help me stand. As I got up on my knees, I realized I was 'face to dick' with his very prominent erection. I had been so nervous about getting in the shower with him, I didn't even let myself ogle the goods. Come to think of it, my eyes pretty much never left his face. But now that I'd seen the wonder of his glorious cock, I couldn't let the moment pass without some sort of introduction.

I looked up to find Edward watching me study his huge cock, with a longing look of lust and desire in his eyes. My eyes returned to the fascination of his naked form, and I carefully reached out and ran my finger down the length of his shaft. He shuttered and took a step back. I looked up at him again.

"It's…_beautiful_. Absolutely the most perfect…I have to touch it," I told him, reaching out and grabbing it firmly that time. I heard him suck in a breath, and I started to stroke it slowly. He groaned and placed his hand over mine, halting my movements.

"Bella, you don't have to. I just wanted to make you feel good, not because I wanted anything in return," he said.

I bit my lip in disappointment. I wanted to give him the same kind of pleasure he had just given me. His cock was so impressive…so hard…so…perfect. I wanted to get to know it better.

I placed both my palms against his upper thighs and stared into his eyes. "Please, _please_…let me. I want to touch you. I want to taste you. I want to make you come in my mouth," I pleaded.

His eyes glazed over. Without another word, he placed his hand on the back of my head and gently guided me towards his cock. My heart sped up, excited that he was giving in and letting me show him pleasure.

I licked the drop of clear liquid from the tip and swirled my tongue around the head of his straining member, before sliding my mouth over him. I moved my head up and down slowly. I didn't take in as much as I knew I could, trying to get use to his thickness.

I released him from my mouth and licked down his whole length. I used my hand to stroke him while I kissed and licked around the tip. Edward's hand was softly stroking my hair while he watched my actions.

I guided him back into my mouth, removing my hand and gripping his hip instead. I sucked him deeper into my mouth, rippling my tongue to pull him in more. When I felt him hit the back of my throat, I took a deep breath through my nose and swallowed. I relaxed my throat and swallowed him deeper, taking every inch in my mouth.

Edward stumbled back a couple of steps and braced his body against the wall. His head fell back as he groaned out a long "Fuuuuuck!" His hand gripped a fistful of my hair and moved in unison with my bobbing head. My movements quickened as I sucked up and down faster. The hand I had on his hip pulled him in closer while my other hand cupped his balls, gently rubbing and kneading.

"Fuck! Bella…baby…feels so good," he panted out in a ragged breath.

I added more suction and quickened my pace slightly. I felt him stiffen even more in my mouth.

"Baby…not gonna last…much…longer," he growled.

I moaned around him and felt hot spurts of thick liquid hitting the back of my throat. I swallowed several times before gently withdrawing him from my mouth. I gave his cock one more kiss before he pulled me up and wrapped his arms around me.

"Baby, that was incredible," he whispered in my ear, pleasingly stroking my back again.

"Glad you liked it," I repeated his words from earlier.

He chuckled into my neck, "I liked it very much. Thank you."

Luckily, there was still some hot water left for us to use. We quickly washed each other up and hopped out. I offered Edward the pants I had taken from Alice's room, but he said he would be fine wearing a towel until his clothes were dry. I guess after what we had just done, there really wasn't a need for modesty anymore.

I gathered up Edward's clothes and added them to mine in the washing machine. Edward sat on the couch with a towel wrapped around his waist, and I slipped on t-shirt and yoga pants to hang out in.

"Do you still want to go out for our date, or would you rather stay in tonight? We could order some Chinese food and watch a movie here if you want to," I said.

Edward looked at me and smiled as he answered, "Already had your 'happy ending', so no need to go out now?"

I shoved him playfully and said, "You know that's not what I meant. It'll be a while before our clothes are done, and Alice and Jasper won't be home until later. I'd be happy to just stay here and cuddle up. We can still have a nice night without all the fuss of going out."

He chuckled and said, "You're right. We've never really had the chance to spend alone time 'in' either. That sounds nice. We can go out next time."

I grabbed the take out menu, and we looked it over before ordering. As soon as our clothes were dry, Edward put his pants and t-shirt back on. We watched TV until our food arrived.

In an effort to make it a 'real date', I dressed up the small dining table with a linen table cloth and lit some candles. I poured two glasses of wine and got out our nice plates and silverware to use. I offered to change into a more dressy outfit to keep up with the atmosphere, but Edward just laughed and said it wasn't necessary.

Dinner was nice. We pretended we were at some fancy restaurant and had pleasant conversation. As soon as we were done, we took our glasses and the rest of the wine over to the couch. I let Edward pick out a DVD and popped it in the player. It seemed Jasper must have left some of his movies here because we ended up watching _Braveheart_, which was a good movie that neither Alice nor I owned.

Near the end of the movie, Alice and Jasper came back home. They both strolled in and joined us in front of the television. Alice took in our appearance and smiled at me and Edward cuddled together under a blanket on the couch.

"So, I heard Bella took you puddle jumping today. How'd that turn out?" Alice asked Edward.

I laughed and Edward smiled, saying, "Messy…but lots of fun."

The four of us chatted a while. Since it was still early, about nine o'clock, Alice convinced us to play a game of _Pictionary_. Edward and I teamed up against Alice and Jasper. We set the game board up on the coffee table, and all of us took a seat on the floor around it.

Everyone had a good time playing, but Alice and Jasper won. Jasper's drawings were so detailed; I was amazed that he could draw so much within the minute time frame. Edward jokingly accused them of cheating a couple of times when one of them would guess the answer before the other had barely begun drawing.

Edward was pretty good at the game. His drawings weren't anywhere near as good as Jasper's, but you could clearly tell what everything was. My drawings, on the other hand, were reminiscent of my inner five year old. Several times during the game, Alice had to chastise me for talking when Edward was having a hard time understanding what my stick figures were trying to represent on the paper.

After a short gloating session from Alice and Jasper, they said goodnight and retreated to her bedroom. I asked Edward if he wanted to stay the night since Esme was keeping Jellybean until the next day. He easily agreed as I led him to my room.

Edward stripped down to his boxer briefs and slipped under the covers while I hesitantly climbed in wearing just my little cotton panties. Edward laughed when he spotted the picture of Hello Kitty, holding a 'Saturday' sign, on my underwear. I didn't think he'd be seeing them when I put them on. They were comfortable, and I'd only thrown them on while I was waiting for our clothes to dry. _At least I'd chosen the correct day of the week. _Edward teased me, joking that they might help him keep his hands to himself since they reminded him of 'undies Bethy wore'.

Neither one of us were sleepy, so we just settled comfortably on our sides, facing each other while we talked. The street lights outside provided a soft light around the window, allowing us to see a warm glow of each other. We talked for hours, learning so many things about each other.

Edward told me stories about growing up with Emmett, giving me details about his childhood and his parents. He told me about college and past friends he had. He talked about his favorite pet, a dog named Rusty that died right after he went off to college. And of course, he filled me with cute stories about Jellybean.

I told him about my special relationship with my dad and filled him in on my closeness with Alice and her family. We laughed through the silly stories about me and Alice. I talked about college and literature. We discussed my job at the _Times_. I even told him about my dream to become a novelist.

When he asked about my mom, I opened up and told him everything. He listened silently while I explained, rubbing soothing patterns up and down my arm. After I was finished, he pulled me closer and placed a loving kiss to my forehead. He whispered how sorry he was that I had to go through that and told me how wonderful and special he thought I was.

I let out a small yawn and snuggled into his side, resting my head on his shoulder and my arm across his chest. He had one arm wrapped around me securely, while he drew his fingers through my hair with his other hand.

With our eyes closed, he whispered his sentiment of 'Goodnight, sweet angel'; to which I replied, "Sweet dreams, Edward."

The next morning, I woke up earlier than anyone else and decided to make breakfast for everyone. I got the coffee started and pulled out the griddle to make pancakes and bacon just as Alice and Jasper came stumbling in, wiping the corners of their eyes and yawning.

"Good morning, you two. Want some breakfast?" I asked in greeting.

"Sure," Alice answered at the same time Jasper spoke, "You know I'm always willing to eat anything you cook, Bella."

"Did Edward leave right after we went to bed?" Alice asked.

A smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I blushed, answering, "Um, no. He's still sleeping." I heated some syrup in the microwave and flipped the bacon on the griddle, avoiding Alice's shocked expression.

Alice's eyes popped open, fully awake now as she exclaimed, "Oh my god! He stayed the night?"

Jasper laughed and nodded his head at a half dressed Edward making his way into the kitchen. He was barefoot and shirtless, wearing his jeans that fell low on his hips. He walked over to where I was pouring pancake mix onto the griddle and wrapped his arms around me from behind, squeezing lightly and whispering, "Good morning, baby", in my ear.

I smiled and gave him a quick peck on the lips before answering, "Good morning. Go have a seat. Breakfast will be ready in a minute."

Alice poured everyone a cup of coffee, and the three of them sat at the table, talking and laughing while I finished cooking the pancakes and bacon. I cut up some fresh fruit and joined them. We all ate together before I had to get ready to head out for my tour of New York. It was one time I really wished I didn't have a second job. I wanted a little more cuddle time with Edward before he had to leave.

Edward finished getting dressed while I got ready to go. I simply threw on jeans and a sweater, along with comfortable tennis shoes. I brushed my teeth and tossed my hair up in a ponytail. We both left the apartment together, and he walked me to my car to kiss me goodbye.

Five hours later, I was on my way home from the most exhausting day I'd had in the city so far. The tour was busy. Everything felt rushed. We hit all the important sights in the allowed time frame; but even though it was on a bus, my body still felt like I had just run a marathon through New York.

I went straight home to start writing my article. The tour wasn't something a native New Yorker would do for entertainment, but for a visitor with limited time and an interest in taking in as much of the city they could, it was worth the trouble. I tried to write a proper review, highlighting the good points about the tour, but it ended up sounding like a travel pamphlet. I wasn't happy with the end result, so I tore it up and started fresh. By the time I was done, I was sufficiently pleased and ready for bed.

Instead of our usual text, I received a pleasant phone call from Edward, asking about my day before wishing me goodnight. After only our first overnighter together, I missed having him in my bed. I decided to play my Breaking Dawn CD so he could sing me to sleep as I wrapped myself in the sheets, inhaling the smell of him that still lingered there and wishing I could feel his warm body lying next to mine.


	20. Ch20 Shocking News

Chapter 20

EPOV

I awoke Sunday morning, comfortably wrapped up in a set of amazing smelling sheets. I inhaled deeply and recognized the scent. It smelled like fresh soap, spring flowers, and pure Bella. I opened my eyes, expecting to see her still asleep next to me, but I was alone in her bed.

I closed my eyes and smiled at the thought of Bella climbing into bed with her cartoon 'days of the week' panties on. I could tell she was embarrassed about me seeing them, and I could have told her the truth; but instead, I decided to tease her about it. The truth was, she was sexy as hell in them. Although, I really wanted to rip them off and give her another explosive orgasm.

My mind started to drift to flashbacks of our shower scene together. When I had suggested we share a shower, I honestly had rather pure intentions; but once I started touching her, I couldn't stop. The sight of her gorgeous body, the feel of her soft skin, the sounds of her erotic moans, and the sweet taste of her had my dick so fucking hard it hurt. Watching Bella come completely undone was all the reward I needed…until she did the most unbelievable thing ever. Kneeling in front of me, naked, wet, and looking up at me with big, brown, pleading eyes; she basically begged me to let her make me come in her mouth. _Yeah, there isn't a man alive that could have resisted that, and I'm no exception_. Before my thoughts spiraled too out of control, I switched to the less sexual memories of our conversation in bed last night. Bella and I shared tons of stories about ourselves. Her sweet laughter filled the room when I told her some of the trouble Emmett and I use to get into when we were kids, and I laughed just as hard when I heard the stories of her and Alice as little girls.

We spent hours getting to know more about each other. I wasn't exactly surprised when she told me about wanting to become a novelist. Since reading her articles in the _Times_, I had always wondered why she took a job as an office assistant when she clearly had a talent for writing. She explained how hard it was to find something in her field and how paying rent and buying food took priority to being a starving writer.

She talked a lot about her dad and Alice's parents, but never mentioned her mom. When I asked about her, Bella opened up and told me more than just how her mom had left her when she was four. She explained, in great detail, her last memory of the day her mom left. She didn't cry, but her eyes definitely looked glassy as she told me how much it effected her and her father's life.

Despite any hardships she'd faced in her childhood, Bella had definitely become an amazing woman. Wrapped up inside her was a playful child waiting for any chance to break out and act silly. There was a broken little girl who had faced the devastation of losing her mother in a cruel way and still survived. There was a compassionate and loyal friend who was filled with love and devotion for those she cared about. She was smart and funny. She was warm and beautiful. She was passionate about writing and literature. She was sexy and sweet. She was everything I could ever have wanted in a woman. I realized then, how fast I was falling in love with her. It was too soon to say those words to her, but I knew I would never feel that way towards anyone else. I didn't want to think about ever losing her, but it scared the shit out of me.

Suddenly missing her body next to mine, I climbed out of bed and pulled my jeans on. When I opened the bedroom door, I was assaulted by a different kind of wonderful scent. I smelled coffee, bacon, and syrup.

Even though I would have preferred to wake up with Bella still in my arms, sharing breakfast with our two best friends was pretty good too.

After eating and dressing, Bella was off to work, and I headed to my parents'.

Rosalie was sitting at the kitchen table, looking through some recipe books with my mom when I walked in.

"Hi, how are you two beautiful women today?" I asked, giving Mom a kiss on the cheek before doing the same to Rosalie.

"Oh, I feel wonderful, Edward. Especially now that my sweet son seems so happy," Mom answered with a smile as she rubbed her hand across the beginning stubble on my jaw.

Rosalie laughed and added, "Yeah, it does seem like someone must have had a pretty good night last night." I gave her a crooked smile that implied she was right, but I wasn't going to comment.

"Have a seat, dear. Bethy and your dad are at the store picking up a few things I needed for dinner. They should be back soon," Mom said.

I pulled out a chair and sat across from them at the kitchen table. "So, how was the visit with Aunt Carmen? Did you and Bethy have a nice time?"

"We did. Your aunt was really happy about the visit. Although, she wishes you boys would make the trip to see her sometimes too. She gets lonely with your uncle gone away on business so much. She couldn't believe how much Bethy has grown since the last time she saw her."

" It hasn't been that long. She and Uncle Eli were here for the Fourth of July a few months ago," I commented.

"That's true, but it still wouldn't hurt to make the effort to go see them once in a while. It's only a couple hours drive. I don't think you've even seen their new house yet," Mom reminded me. "You and Emmett should visit too, Rose, honey. You would love it there. Maybe take a long weekend and stay at one of those nice bed and breakfast places nearby."

"That does sound nice. I'll mention it to him," Rosalie said, smiling. "Oh, and Edward? Speaking of spending time with family, since you're actually 'dating' someone now…I was thinking of planning a nice dinner at our house soon. What do you think?"

Even though I hadn't mentioned my relationship with Bella to my family yet, and they hadn't asked, I was sure they already knew something was going on. Between the pictures in the newspapers and our frequent 'togetherness', it wasn't hard to figure out. It wasn't like we were trying to be secretive about it either, except around Bethy.

"Sure, that sounds good," I replied to Rosalie.

Mom tried to hide her smile and casually asked, "So, what _is_ Bella doing today, dear? You know she would be welcome at our Sunday dinners here if you wanted to invite her."

I chuckled at my mom's lack of subtlety and responded, "Yeah, I know, Mom. Thanks. It's just that we haven't really told Bethy anything about 'us' yet, and that might be sort of hard to explain right now."

Mom frowned briefly, but nodded and said, "I understand your reasoning, but what I don't understand is why you feel your relationship with Bella is something you need to cover up in front of your daughter. Bethy already loves Bella. I think she would be overjoyed with the news."

I inwardly cringed, not knowing how to answer her without sounding like a damn idiot. "That's actually part of the reason why we haven't said anything yet. I know it sounds stupid, but Bella and Bethy sort of have their own little bond; I don't want to confuse that by redefining our roles already. And let's face it…we all know I suck at relationships. If, for some reason, things don't work out between us…"

"Edward!" Mom interrupted, "You don't _suck_ at relationships. You had one bad experience that understandably left you very hurt and a little wary about starting a new one."

I laughed loudly at that one. "A little wary? Anyway, the point is…I don't want Bethy getting excited about me and Bella, only to end up getting hurt if things go wrong. I'm not saying I think they will. And we aren't planning on hiding it from her for too long, but it's just really early in the game still."

Rosalie spoke up, "I agree with you, Edward. You need to be sure where this is headed before you involve your daughter."

Thankfully, Mom ended the heavy conversation with one last comment. "I trust you and Bella to know when the time is right to advance in your relationship, but I don't think there will be any of the problems you might expect. I really like Bella. She's a lovely girl, and I know your dad would like the chance to get to know her as well. I'll just invite her myself if you don't get around to it. There's nothing wrong with having one of my co-volunteers over for dinner, you know." She winked at me and got up to pour herself a glass of tea.

Emmett chose that moment to walk into the end of the conversation. "What are you guys talking about in here?"

"Edward and Bella," Rosalie smirked.

"Oh, Bella! That girl's a treasure and a half! I don't know how the hell you managed that one, but you sure got fucking lucky with her, bro," Emmett roared.

"Emmett!" Mom scolded at his language.

"What? I'm just saying…Edward got lucky."

"Yeah, I did," I chuckled, not intending it the way Emmett received my comment.

"Yeah?" he asked, eyebrows raised and a big grin on his face. I just laughed and shook my head, ignoring his innuendo.

The subject was dropped, and the rest of the day went as usual. After I put Bethy to bed that night, I picked up the phone to text Bella. I really wanted to ask about her day and hear her voice, so I decided to call instead.

"Hey," she answered, sounding already half asleep.

"Hey, baby. How was your day? Good tour?" I asked.

"Yeah…no, I don't know. It was fine, I guess. Kind of boring and rushed at the same time. I'm completely exhausted. I had a hard time writing a description worth reading, so I ended up rewriting my whole article. It's okay now, I suppose."

"Oh. Well, I wish you had enjoyed it more, but at least you're done now. I'm sure the article's great."

She giggled, "How was your day?"

"Better than yours, from the sound of it. Sundays are always good for me."

"Mmm, I'm glad," she yawned.

"Okay, baby. I just wanted to check in on you and hear your voice. Which sounds tired, by the way. Go get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay, Edward. Sorry I'm not a better conversationalist tonight. Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight, sweet angel," I spoke into the phone as I made my way to my own bed to retire for the night.

The next morning, I handed Bella the lunch I packed for her and was thanked with a kiss. On my way back from a morning conference, I caught her eating the chocolate cupcake at her desk.

"You're being a bad girl, Miss Swan. You know the rules about eating all of your lunch before you get dessert. I might have to punish you for that later," I teased, leaning across her desk and wiping away a smear of chocolate from her lip with my thumb. I caught a glimpse of excitement in her eyes and had to reign in my thoughts quickly, before I was sporting a very inappropriate hard-on at work. _Holy shit! I think the idea of 'being punished' turned her on! _

She blushed and bit down on her lip before answering, "I, umm…didn't have time to eat this morning, and you know…many desserts are also a highly accepted breakfast item."

I smiled and chuckled at her defense. "Alright, I'll let it slide just this once, but next time…" I winked and walked back to my office after watching her squirm in her seat for a few seconds.

After lunch, Bella dropped in my office to see if I wanted to accompany her on her next assignment at the Bowery Lane Walking Tour. She explained that it was a two hour walking tour that stopped at five of the best spots to sample chocolate delicacies and wine. I had heard of the tour before, but had never gone myself. It sounded like a nice way to spend the day with my girlfriend, so I called Mom to make sure she was available to watch Bethy for a few hours.

Before she left my office to get back to work, Bella added, "Oh, be sure to take a look at Wednesday's entertainment section this week."

"To read your article?" I asked, puzzled.

She laughed and said, "No. While I was turning in my article today, I spotted the layout for the next edition and saw a picture of us from Saturday. The reporter covering the article doesn't have any idea who the photo is of. Neither does anyone else. It was just a random picture one of the photographers snapped while he was out that day. They thought it would make a good story…something about finding your own inexpensive entertainment in the city."

"You're kidding?" I asked; unaware, but not completely surprised that someone noticed our puddle jumping antics.

"Nope. Wait until you see the picture. I had to hide my shock when I saw it in the layout because I didn't want to let anyone know it was me in the picture. Not that I'm embarrassed; I just think it's funny that no one can recognize either one of us."

"Now you definitely have my curiosity peaked. I can't wait to see it," I told her as I kissed before she escaped through the door.

Tuesday started a new lunchtime pattern for me and Bella. We had food delivered to the office and found an unoccupied conference room to eat in together. It was our way of building 'little dates' to make up for our busy schedules.

Wednesday morning I grabbed a couple copies of the _Times_ and flipped to the entertainment section. Right on the front page was a picture of a laughing couple, pulling each other out of a mud puddle, so covered in mud that they were hardly recognizable. The caption underneath read: _'One couple manages to find their own fun on a rainy day in New York.' _The picture was followed by a short paragraph describing the weather, day, location, and brief description of the 'young couple enjoying the park'. I dropped a copy on Bella's desk with an attached note that read: _'One of my best memories'_.

A few minutes later, I was sitting at my desk when my phone sounded off an incoming text from Bella.

_So far, all of our pictures in the paper have been among my top ten favorite moments. - Bella_

If I hadn't been so swamped with reviewing paperwork and leading conferences all day, I would have insisted Bella and I take the rest of the day off to make some more great memories. Instead, I sent her a message back, conveying those thoughts.

Thursday night, Bella called me after teaching her first creative writing class for the literacy foundation. She sounded so proud of all the kids as she described each one who attended and some of the stories they had started working on. I was thankful that my mom had gotten her involved in something that made her so happy.

We didn't make any plans for Friday since Alice had roped Bella into a girl's night out. They even invited Rosalie along as well.

Saturday, my mom was busy with plans of helping out one of her other charities, but made time to watch Bethy for a few hours while I went on the walking tour with Bella. I picked her up about an hour before our scheduled plans and drove to a coffee shop near the starting point of the tour. We grabbed a drink and sat in the little shop until it was time to meet up with our tour group.

I had no idea what the girls did last night since I only received the normal nightly text from Bella, giving no details of how her night went. I admit I was curious, but didn't call her to find out. I didn't want to risk looking like an insecure ass, so I waited to bring it up in casual conversation instead.

"So, what did you girls end up doing last night? Did you have a good time?"

Bella nodded and answered, "Yeah, we really had a good time. Actually, we went back to that club, _The Spin_." I waited for her to elaborate, and I must have had an expectant look on my face because she laughed before continuing. "There were no body shots done last night, and we only had a few drinks. Nobody got drunk. We danced in a group a little bit, but mostly we just hung out at the table and talked."

"I'm glad you had fun. It was really nice of you and Alice to include Rosalie in your plans. I know she doesn't have a lot of girlfriends here, and she spends so much time with Emmett and work that she never thinks about getting out and meeting new people. Her and Emmett kind of live in their own little world together, but they're happy. They always make time for family, but I think she'd like another female to hang out with sometimes."

"I really like Rosalie. In the beginning, I might have thought she was kind of intimidating and maybe a little bitchy, but after I got to know her…she's really nice. Alice likes her too." Bella gave me a funny look and added, "Is it weird that your brother's girlfriend wanted to know how big your dick is?"

I nearly spewed my coffee across the table as I tried to choke it down instead. Bella laughed and said, "Relax, Edward. I'm just joking…sort of…"

I laughed in return and told her, "No, I don't want to know. Whatever girl talk you ladies have, it's not necessary to fill me in."

"Okay. So, what did you guys do last night? Have a guy's night out?"

"No, I think Jasper was working, and Emmett went out to shoot pool with Dean. I took Bethy to the movies."

Bella smiled and glanced at the clock on her phone. "We better head on over to the meeting point; it's about time to get started."

The next couple hours were spent blending in with other couples in our group, tasting delicious chocolates, hearing the histories of the shops, and enjoying the tour. After our last stop, we broke away from the group, and Bella pulled me around the side of the building into a small alley.

Her hands clenched the back of my hair, pulling me forward to meet her lips. I responded, greedily kissing her plump, sugary lips. Bella's kisses always tasted like sugar, but today they were amplified by a chocolaty sweetness as well. I couldn't get enough of her. Breathlessly, she pulled away and smiled.

"What brought that on?" I asked.

"Never enough time for kissing you," she replied just before I nuzzled into her neck.

I grinned against her hot skin and started licking and sucking while I wrapped my arms tighter around her. She let out a small whimper and bit down hard on my shoulder. I growled, "God, Bella. You have no idea what you do to me."

She stroked her fingers across my cheek and tipped my chin up to kiss me again. "You have no idea what I _want_ to do to you right now," she growled back.

"I think chocolate makes my sweet girl a little horny," I teased.

"It's not the chocolate," she purred in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. She pushed me against the brick wall and started rubbing her palm strongly against the bulge in my jeans. My head hit the wall with a 'thump' as I leaned back, closing my eyes and groaning at the pleasure my body was feeling with just the contact of her hand through the layer of thick denim.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a couple of people passing by the entrance of the alley. They didn't seem to notice us, but I knew we needed to stop. "Bella, we need to leave this alley before we end up getting arrested for public indecency."

She dropped her forehead to my chest before stepping back with a pout. I grabbed her hand and uncomfortably led her back to my car. After I helped her in, I adjusted the problem in my pants and hopped in the driver's seat. Bella ran her fingers through her hair and let out a shaky sigh. _I knew exactly how she felt_.

We were parked in the back of the small, semi-secluded parking lot behind the coffee shop. The windows on the Volvo were tinted, so I was pretty sure no one would see us. I reached across and took her hand, guiding her towards me. "Come here, beautiful," I whispered.

She smiled and climbed across to my seat, straddling my lap. I slid the seat back as far as it would go and reclined it halfway. Bella wasted no time in resuming our kissing session. I eagerly participated, but I let her take the lead. I felt like she needed _something_, and I wanted to be able to give it to her without pushing it too far.

Bella leaned her forehead to mine and took a deep breath. "This is driving me crazy. Everyday, I have to see you at work and hold myself back from touching you. We eat lunch together almost every day, and as much as I enjoy it, I want to take you some place more secluded and just…be with you. You've only slept in my bed once, but every night I wish you were there." She closed her eyes and paused for a second before finishing her thoughts. "I know we're not really ready, but…God, Edward. I want you so much."

Bella's sentiments echoed my own feelings. I started to wonder what we were waiting for. Then I remembered. Bella deserved so much more than just sex. I wasn't willing to cross that line until I was absolutely sure I could be what she deserved.

I stroked the top of her cheek with my thumb, and she opened her eyes. "Bella, I can't begin to tell you how much I want you too. I feel exactly the same way. I just want to be sure I won't end up fucking things up. I'm getting there; I promise. We won't have to go slow forever. I just don't want to ever hurt you."

"I know," she said, placing a soft kiss on my lips.

"I can still make you feel good," I breathed into her ear as I reached for the button on her jeans.

She giggled and pushed my hand away. "Oh, I know what magic your fingers can do, but not that. I just want to be close to you," she said, pressing her body tighter against mine. She ran her fingers through my hair and started kissing my neck while my hands slipped under the back of her shirt and held her tightly to me.

I ran my fingers softly up and down the skin on her sides and felt her body break out in goose bumps. Bella sat up straighter and adjusted her position on my lap, lining us up just right. I skimmed across her ribcage, and she shuttered before I even made contact with her breasts. The look in her eyes told me she wanted more. I unsnapped her bra and moved her clothing out of the way, exposing her breasts that were already formed into perfect, tight peaks.

Bella arched back, further promising her perfect tits to me in offering. I took one nipple with my mouth and rolled the other one between my fingers. She moaned loudly and started rocking her hips, pressing herself onto the steel rod in my pants. I continued giving attention to her breasts with my mouth while my hands squeezed her ass, helping her rocking motions add more friction.

Her breathing sped up. She pushed me back against the seat, bracing herself with her hands on my chest. "Fuck, Edward! I think I'm gonna…" her words dropped off as her panting increased. I leaned back and watched her head drop back, causing the tips of her hair to brush around my hands at her hips. She was the most amazing sight I'd ever seen.

I gripped her hips tightly, still helping to guide her as she rocked faster and faster. "Bella! Come for me, baby. Come _with_ me. I can't hold out much longer," I practically growled. _Shit, we were basically having sex already…just with all our clothes still on._

Bella fisted my t-shirt in her hand and almost ripped it right off, pulling me closer to her. She almost started screaming right before her mouth slammed down on mine, burying her sounds. I probably left bruises on her by slamming into her as I thrust myself against her rocking core. She collapsed on top of me as we both tried to come down from our intense climax.

With a shaky breath, I asked, "Was that close enough for you?"

She wormed closer against me and giggled. "Whenever we finally do go all the way, I'll probably explode…or pass out. Or both."

"If you pull another stunt like you did today, I might be dead before then. You really are trying to kill me," I teased.

She pushed herself up and kissed me, ending by tracing my lips with her tongue. "No, you're much more valuable to me alive."

Bella hopped back in her seat, and I grabbed a few napkins from the glove box to clean myself off. I drove back to her place, and she unnecessarily thanked me for going with her on her assignment, as if it was some great sacrifice to spend my Saturday morning with her. Ridiculous.

I almost invited her to join me for dinner at my parents' the next day, but I didn't think either one of us would enjoy spending the day pretending not to be together in front of Bethy right now. We needed to enjoy our 'closeness' a little bit longer, before I would be comfortable with putting it on the back burner for a few hours.

It seems that when everything is going really good, something inevitably must go wrong. _Nothing was this easy; something bad had to happen eventually. It's Murphy's law, right? _

When Bella came back from lunch on Monday, she hit me with what I considered bad news. Her next assignment was at the Museum of Photography. There was a special month long exhibit featuring famous photographers from around the world. Bella asked if I was okay with her inviting Jacob to attend the event with her. She explained that they were just friends, and he was a professional photographer. She admitted that she didn't know much about photography and thought Jacob would be the perfect person help her judge the exhibit.

To me, that was bad news…really bad news. To Bella, it was a smart idea that would help her write a better article. I knew she was starting to date Jacob when we first met, and it wasn't that I didn't trust Bella. However, I didn't trust any mother fucker that once had a single bit of romantic intentions with her. Bella was naïve to think that they could remain friends after he had a taste of how amazing she was. He might have her fooled, but I knew better.

She promised me that if I felt uncomfortable in any way, she didn't have to invite him. What was I suppose to do? Pretend that I didn't mind, or look like an overprotective, untrusting asshole by telling her not to go with him? I didn't want to be the one to fuck things up by trying to control her, so I was honest and told her I didn't really like the idea, but I trusted her. She seemed a bit reluctant to actually go ahead and call him. I started to feel like a jerk anyway, so I reinforced the point that I trusted _her_, and she set up the 'date'.

Since Jacob was taking away the 'Saturday with my girl', I went ahead and invited her to our family dinner for Sunday. She looked shocked at first, but excitedly agreed to come.

The 'real' bad news came on Tuesday. We were standing by Bella's desk, getting ready to go to lunch when her phone rang. She answered it and smiled when she responded, "Oh, hi, Dad!"

I took a seat on the couch while I waited for her to finish her phone call. Her brow furrowed when she asked, "What's wrong, Dad? Just tell me what happened." About thirty seconds later, Bella turned white as a ghost and hit the floor with her limp, unconscious body.

I ran over to her at the same time Rosalie shouted, "Oh my god! Bella?"

I checked her head for any signs of damage and gently moved her from the floor to the couch. "Go get a wet towel from the bathroom, Rose!"

She returned immediately with a couple cool, wet cloths. I wiped one across her forehead and moved her hair away from her face. I checked her pulse, and it was normal and steady. Then I noticed the phone, dangling from the cord and bumping against the desk. I didn't want to leave Bella's side, but I thought I should try to figure out what kind of news caused her to pass out. "Stay with her, Rose. And call down to the medic in the gym. Have him come up to take a look at her."

She nodded and pulled out her cell phone, dialing while she knelt next to Bella.

I picked up the phone to see if anyone was still there and spoke into the receiver, "Hello? Mr. Swan?"

I heard him clear his throat and answer, "Yes, this is Charlie Swan, Bella's Dad. Who is this? Is Bella okay?"

"Umm, sorry, sir. This is Edward Cullen, Bella's boss. She seems to be okay, just passed out from what I assume is shock. Can you tell me what might have been said to cause this?" I felt a little callous, prying into possibly personal business, but it may be important information if Bella didn't wake up soon.

He seemed skeptical about divulging any of the upsetting news, but he managed to tell me there had been a death in the family. I needed more information than that if I was going to help Bella…not just medically, but as a comforting boyfriend.

"Sir, when I introduced myself before, I didn't mention that I'm also Bella's boyfriend. I don't know if she's told you about me or not, but I really care about your daughter and want to be able to help her through this. Was it someone she was very close to?"

Hesitantly, he answered, "Uh, Edward…she has told me about you. I'm not sure how close you two are though. Is she okay right now?"

I had my eyes on Bella the whole time I had been on the phone, so I knew nothing had changed. The elevator opened and the medic stepped into the reception area. He quickly headed over to the couch and started checking her over. Rosalie started filling him in on what happened.

I turned my attention back to the phone and replied, "She's still passed out, sir, but the medic just arrived and is looking at her now. Are you sure there isn't anything else we should know to help her?"

He mumbled out an answer, "Alice Brandon is probably listed as her emergency contact if you need to call someone to be responsible for her until she wakes up. That would probably be a good idea anyway. Do you need the number?"

I was really starting to get frustrated, but I knew I was a total stranger to her dad. "No, sir. I know Alice. I can call her, or maybe you should if you think you'd be comfortable giving her more information. I don't really know how to help until Bella wakes up and can tell me what happened." It was my last attempt at having Bella's dad fill me in.

He sounded nervous as he asked, "Edward, has Bella told you anything about her mother?"

"Uh…yes, she told me the story of how her mom walked out on you both when Bella was four. Does this have something to do with that?"

"I'm afraid so. Her mother is the one that passed away. No one has heard a word from her since she left eighteen years ago; but since we were never legally divorced, I still show up as her next of kin. I received a call from the police department in Florida this morning. She was killed in an automobile accident. They are flying her body here, to Washington, for the burial."

"I'm so sorry. I'm sure this must be a huge shock for you as well. No wonder Bella passed out. Is there anything I can do to help?" Whatever they needed, I would make sure it happened.

He cleared his throat again and answered, "I've been on the phone all morning with lawyers, funeral directors, and the police. They can't locate any other family of hers. If I refuse to take responsibility for the remains, they will have her cremated and placed in a random cemetery at the expense of the state. I have no idea what she's been up to for all these years, but she was once my wife and mother of my child. There isn't time to debate my options here. I'm not going to let her be burned and forgotten as if she never existed at all. Her body will arrive here tomorrow, and the funeral will be held on Thursday."

"I'll make sure Bella is taken care of. I'm sure she'll be awake soon, and I'll have her call you back to make whatever plans are necessary. I can't say that I know how she'll respond to all of this, but I do know that she wouldn't let you go through this alone. I'll schedule the company jet to fly her out there first thing in the morning. If it's okay with you and Bella, I'd like to accompany her. I don't want her to be alone for this."

Bella's dad choked back a sob and said, "I'd appreciate all of that, Edward. There really wasn't any good way to break this news to Bella. Please have her call me as soon as she can. I understand you have a little girl of your own; you know what it's like to want to protect them from hurt every chance you can. Please take care of my little girl while I can't and get her home to me safely."

"I will, sir. I'll do everything I can to help her. And if there is anything I can do on your end, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you. I'm sure I'll be meeting you soon. If you could fill Alice in yourself, that would be a big help. I'm sure Bella could use all the support she can get right now. Thanks again, Edward."

Holy shit! Now that I knew what happened, I wasn't sure if Bella would be okay or not. This was a hugely fucked up situation, and I knew there was little anyone could do to make it easier for Bella or her dad.

As soon as I hung up the phone, I was back at Bella's side. "How is she?" I asked the medic.

"Physically, she seems fine. All of her vitals are perfect. Did she hit her head hard when she fainted?"

"I don't think so. She pretty much slumped into a heap on the floor. I found out that she received some very shocking news on the phone. I think that's what caused the fainting, but shouldn't she have recovered by now?"

He frowned and answered, "Typically, fainting is caused by a lack of oxygen. Once the body is unconscious and breathing is returned to normal, the person wakes up. In cases of extreme shock or emotional trauma, the brain sometimes 'locks up' as a defense mechanism, allowing the mind to avoid dealing with whatever caused the extreme stress. She should have regained consciousness by this point. We should probably call an ambulance and get her to the hospital for monitoring."

"Rose, go ahead and make the call, please. I don't want to take any chances," I said, trying to control the emotion in my voice. Hearing the medic's theories, I almost lost it. I knew she was okay physically, but I needed her to wake up and let me help her deal with all of this. I knew she was strong, and I would be there for her to lean on as much as she needed. I just needed her to open her eyes and show me that she could make it through this.

I could hear Rosalie talking to the emergency operator while I stroked Bella's hair and begged her to wake up. "Bella, honey, please wake up. I need to see your beautiful eyes. Your dad needs you too, baby. He's worried about you and waiting for you to call him. I know you received some pretty shocking news, but I promise to be here to help you through it. Whatever you need, I'll be here. You just have to wake up." I held her hand and kissed her fingers. "Please wake up, Bella."

Rose hung up the phone and started pacing in front of her desk, biting on her thumbnail. "The ambulance was right around the corner. They'll be here in five minutes."

I nodded and looked helplessly at the medic. "Do you think it would be okay if I picked her up?"

"She doesn't have any signs of injury. It couldn't hurt her."

I scooped her up and sat down on the couch, cradling her in my lap. I kissed the top of her head and kept my lips pressed into her hair, whispering pleas for her to wake up. "I'm lost, Bella. I don't know what to do. I need you to be okay."

I felt a puddle of wetness soaking through my shirt, and I leaned back to see if she was okay. Her eyes were open, and tears were streaming down her face. "Baby, you're awake. Are you okay?" I asked quietly.

She nodded and wiped her face dry with her sleeve. "I'm okay," she said, scrunching her eyebrows together.

Rosalie and the medic started to rush over when the elevator opened and the paramedics entered with a gurney. Everyone moved out of the way, and I started to get up, but Bella clung to me and asked in a timid voice, "What are they doing here, Edward? I'm fine. I don't want to go anywhere."

I rubbed her back and whispered, "It's okay, honey. You don't have to go anywhere. We were worried about you. Can you just let them check you out first, and then they'll go away?" She nodded her head against my chest and loosened her hold on me.

"Will you be okay to talk to them by yourself while I go get our things together to go home?" I asked. She started to slide off my lap to stand up. I stopped her and slid out from under her, settling her onto the couch instead of my lap. "I'll be right back," I promised as I kissed her cheek.

The paramedics immediately started checking her vitals and asking her questions. I slipped into my office and started making arrangements for me and Bella to leave for a few days. I called up to my dad's office and explained the situation to him.

He was quick to dismiss me of my duties at work, saying, "Don't worry about a thing here, Edward. Send everything you've been working on up to my office, and I'll take over. I understand Bella needs your help right now. And please, give her my condolences."

I quickly called Mom and explained everything to her. She volunteered to keep Bethy for me before I even asked. I thanked her and told her I would stop by later to explain it to Bethy and bring some of her things over.

Rosalie knocked on my door and stepped in. "Are you okay, Edward?" I just looked up at her and nodded, not really knowing how to answer. She nodded back in understanding. "Is Bella going to be okay? Do you know what happened?"

"Yeah, her dad called to tell her that her mother died. I'll be going with her to Washington for a few days to attend the funeral. Can you send all of my work up to Dad's office and call to schedule the jet to be ready to leave by seven in the morning?"

"Of course. If there's anything else you or Bella need…just let me know. I'll help out any way I can."

"Thanks, Rose. I'm going to go ahead and take Bella home as soon as the paramedics finish up with her," I explained. She nodded and went back out to her desk.

I pulled Bella's file up on the computer and found her dad's number. He answered after the first ring. "Mr. Swan, it's Edward. Bella is awake now, but the paramedics are looking her over before they leave. I'm going to take Bella back to her apartment and get her settled in as soon as they're done. I just wanted to let you know she's okay, so you don't worry about her."

"Thank you," he replied.

"Okay, I'll have her call you after I get her back home," I told him before hanging up.

I walked back out to where the paramedics were finishing up with Bella. "Is everything okay?" I asked.

"Yes, we're just getting ready to leave. Miss Swan seems to be perfectly coherent and doesn't want to go to the hospital. We don't really think it's necessary anyway. If she feels nauseous, dizzy, has a severe headache, trouble breathing, or another fainting spell, you should bring her to the hospital right away," he answered.

It was a somber drive to Bella's apartment. Few words were spoken. I didn't want to say anything that might upset her, and I was more concerned with getting her back to the comfort of her own home. She stared out the side window for most of the drive. As soon as I parked the car, she robotically got out and walked to her apartment. She waited by her front door for me to fish the keys out of her purse and open it. Then she headed straight for the couch and curled up at one end of it.

I knelt down in front of her and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She still looked really pale, and I noticed her skin was ice cold when I ran the back of my fingers down her cheek. "Bella, you're freezing. I think we need to get you warmed up and get some sugar in your system. Why don't you rest here while I go run you a hot bath, then we'll find you something to eat," I suggested. She nodded and rested her head on one of the fluffy throw pillows adorning the couch. I grabbed the blanket on the back of the couch and draped it over her before heading to the bathroom.

I got the water started, making sure it was just hot enough to be relaxing, and set the plug. I scrounged around in the cabinet underneath the sink, looking for bath supplies. I found some lavender scented, foaming bath gel and added it to the running water. I also tossed in a squishy bath sponge and grabbed a large towel from the hall closet while I waited for the tub to fill up.

Bella was still curled up on the couch, blankly staring into space when I returned to get her. I pulled the cover back and took her hand to lead her to the bath. "Come on, baby. Let's get you in the tub. It will help you relax and warm you up a bit." She followed me to the bathroom without making a sound.

I helped her undress and pinned her hair up with the clip that was laying on the back of her sink before helping her slip into the tub. Once she was settled in the water, I had planned to let her relax while I made something for her to eat when she got out. The only problem was that Bella didn't seem to be fully functioning on her own, and I also worried that she might pass out and drown in the tub while I was gone. So, I crouched down beside the tub and started rubbing the soft sponge across her skin instead.

"Bella, I'm not going to pretend to know how you feel because I can't even imagine. But I want you to know that I'm here for you if you want to talk about it. Anything you need…just ask," I said, and she simply nodded in response.

When I noticed the temperature of the water was starting to cool down, I stood up and grabbed the towel before reaching for Bella's hand to help her out. She stepped out and stood silently while I dried her off and wrapped the towel around her. "Let's go find something for you to wear," I prompted, leading her to her bedroom.

Bella sat on the edge of her bed while I looked through her dresser drawers for some clothes. I slipped a pair of plain cotton underwear over her legs and slid them up as far as I could until Bella stood up, dropping her towel, and I finished pulling them into place. She lifted her arms so I could slip her t-shirt on before I helped her into a comfortable pair of sweat pants. I released her hair from the clip and brushed out the few tangles she had.

"All done. Feel any better?" I asked, receiving another silent nod. "Are you hungry? What would you like to eat?" I tried to ask an easy question that couldn't be answered with a yes or no, hoping for a verbal response this time. Unfortunately, she just shrugged her shoulders instead of speaking.

I wrapped her in a tight hug and landed a kiss near her temple before tugging her towards the door. "You need to try and eat something," I reasoned.

She reclaimed her spot on the couch, covering herself with the blanket again. I turned the TV on low and switched it to a game show channel instead of the drama filled soap operas on the main networks. I figured she could use the distraction, but mostly I was trying to fill the silence.

"Just get comfortable, and I'll go make you something to eat," I said before making my way to the kitchen. As soon as I rounded the corner, I pulled out my phone. I knew I needed to get in touch with Alice; maybe she could bring Bella out of her trance like state. I didn't have her number in my phone, so I called Jasper instead.

"Hey, man. What's up?" he asked, answering the call.

"Hey, Jasper. I really need to get in touch with Alice. Bella needs her. She got a call from her father today, telling her that her mother passed away. I'm with her at her apartment right now, but she's not taking it so well. Can you get a hold of Alice and let her know what's going on. I hope she'll be able to come straight home after work and help me out." I didn't know if Jasper knew the history on Bella's mom, but I was sure Alice would understand the significance of the situation as soon as he relayed the message.

"Sure, of course. I'll call her right now. I hope Bella's okay. I'll stop by later on to give her my condolences. If you need anything else just let me know, man."

I thanked him and began looking through Bella's cabinets and refrigerator for something quick and easy to make. By the time I finished putting together a turkey sandwich and pouring a glass of milk, my phone rang.

"Edward, it's Alice. How is Bella?"

"She's pretty shaken up, I think. She passed out at work when she got the call, and she hasn't said a word since we've been home. I'm really worried about her," I answered.

"I'm on my way home now. I should be there in twenty minutes. I'll see you when I get there," she said quickly. I relaxed a little with that information.

I took Bella her lunch and sat down on the couch beside her. She slowly sat up and started eating, pausing every few bites for a sip of milk.

"Sweetheart, I know you're upset right now, but I need to talk to you about a few things. Are you up for that?"

She swallowed a bite of her sandwich and cleared her throat, finally speaking, "I'm sorry, Edward. I know you're trying to help, and I really am thankful for that. I'm okay. I just need a little time to process all this."

I breathed a sigh of relief at hearing her respond so normally. "I completely understand how you would need some time. I'm not asking you to open up about your feelings right now, but whenever you're ready…I'll be here for you. But I do need to talk to you about your plans. I know this is happening way too fast, but we don't really have the luxury of time right now. I'm sure you don't want your dad to deal with this all on his own. I've already made arrangements for you to have the next few days off. You can take as much time as you need though. I also scheduled the company plane to fly you out first thing in the morning. I would like to go with you if you don't mind. I don't have to interfere once we get there…unless you want me to stay with you. I can stay at a hotel and give you and your dad the privacy to deal with things. I just can't let you go through all this alone."

Bella leaned her head on my shoulder and let out a shaky breath. "Thank you. I think I _need_ you to be there with me, but I don't want to take you away from your family and work…"

"Don't be ridiculous. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't take care of _you_ right now? Bethy will be fine with my mom for a few days, and Dad can handle everything at work. It's all been arranged. They're all more concerned about you right now than anything else," I explained.

"Thank you," she whispered.

I gave her another kiss on the head and motioned toward her forgotten sandwich. "Okay, finish eating. Alice is on her way home and should be here any minute. Your dad's waiting for you to call him back whenever you're ready to."

A few minutes later, Alice rushed in with tears in her eyes and ran straight to Bella, surrounding her in a tight embrace and rocking her gently. "I'm so sorry, Bella. It's gonna be okay. I got here as fast as I could. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be okay. Thanks, Alice," Bella managed to squeak out.

I stood up and cleared my throat, "Umm…I need to run home and pack a few things for the trip. I'll be back soon, I promise." I leaned down and gave Bella a kiss before adding, "Try to relax and give your dad a call back. Don't worry about anything else; I'll take care of everything. I still need to reserve a rental car to be ready at the airport when we land and make a hotel reservation, but everything else is already taken care of."

Alice looked at me and asked, "Why do you need a hotel?"

"Well, just in case Bella and her dad need some time alone. I don't want to be in the way," I answered.

"No, no. Don't be silly. You can stay with me at my parents' house if you need to. The only place to stay in town is the Lodge, and it's not as nice as my parents' place. Besides, we have plenty of room, and they won't mind at all."

I didn't know Alice planned on going too, but I wasn't surprised at all. "Okay, if you're sure. Thanks. I'll just grab my things and reserve the rental car, and we'll be set to leave at seven in the morning."

Alice nodded and said, "Okay, good. I'll pack mine and Bella's things while you're gone."

I had just assumed that it would be better if I spent the night with Bella, but then I considered that she may want time alone or to talk with her best friend, so I asked, "Did you want me to come back and stay the night?"

Bella looked at me with pleading eyes and said, "Please." I kissed her again and hurried to my place to grab the things I needed.

After I had my bag packed, I gathered a few things Bethy might want at her Nana's while I was gone and headed to Mom's. I called and scheduled the rental car when I pulled into the driveway. As soon as I walked through the door, Mom asked how Bella was holding up. I gave her a brief summary of what was going on and found Bethy to say goodbye. She was playing with her dolls in the family room when I walked over with things I had brought from home.

"Hey, baby. Come here and give me a hug," I asked, reaching out for her.

"Daddy!" she yelled, jumping into my arms. "Nana says you have to go away again," she pouted.

"Yeah, baby. I need you to be a good girl for Nana while I'm gone, okay? Daddy has to go help Bella, but I'll be back in a few days," I told her as I sat down on the couch with her in my lap.

"Help Belwa? Daddy, I want to go help Izzybelwa too," she whined.

I grinned at her caring heart and answered, "Honey, Bella has to go deal with a lot of grown up things right now, and there really isn't anything you could do. Maybe when she comes home, we can take her out somewhere fun to cheer her up."

"Okay, Daddy, but what's wrong with Izzybelwa?"

"Honey, Bella's mom just died, and she needs to go visit her dad so they can say goodbye together…"

My sweet little girl's eyes welled up with tears instantly and she gasped, "Her mommy died?"

"Yes, sweetie. She did, but Bella didn't really know her mom very well. She hasn't seen her since she was a little girl, about your age. She's still really sad though, and Daddy is just going in case she needs anything."

Bethy nodded and swiped at the tears in her eyes. "Daddy, make sure you hold her _really_ tight if she gets scared. That always helps me," she ordered.

I hugged her tightly and promised, "I will, Bethy. Thanks for being such a sweet girl. I love you so much!"

"I love you too, Daddy." She slid off my lap and went over to the pile of things I had brought her from home. She picked up the stuffed toy and handed it to me. "Here. You can let Izzybelwa use this while she's gone. Bwue Bunny can make her feel better if she's sad."

There was no way there was a sweeter little girl on the planet. "What about you, Bethy? Won't you need Blue Bunny to sleep with?" I asked. The reason I brought the thing over in the first place was because Bethy has to have it every night to go to bed.

"Izzybelwa needs him more right now. I'll be okay, Daddy," she insisted, pressing the bunny further into my arms.

"Okay, sweetie. I'll give him to her. I've got to go now. Be good for Nana. I'll call you everyday, and I'll be back soon. Don't worry about Isabella. Daddy and Blue Bunny will make sure she's okay," I told her before bending down and giving her another _really_ tight hug. I smothered her face in kisses and gave my mom a kiss on the cheek too, thanking her before I walked out the door.

By the time I got back to Bella's, her mood had improved a lot. Alice, Jasper, and Bella were sitting around the coffee table talking with plates of food in front of them.

"Hi, Edward. Are you hungry? Jasper brought a bunch of food from the restaurant over. Help yourself," Alice said.

I realized I had been so concerned with taking care of Bella, I forgot to eat anything myself. "Thanks. I'm starving, actually," I said as I grabbed a plate and filled it up with food from the different containers.

"I already got all of our stuff packed up. It's sitting right over there near the door," Alice said.

Bella patted the spot beside her, and I sat down with her on the couch. We all ate our food and watched the game show channel that was still on. Jasper blew everyone away at Jeopardy. That boy's head was full of all kinds of useless knowledge. _Okay, and some useful knowledge as well._

Once we were all done, I helped Alice carry everything into the kitchen and load the dishwasher. "Bella seems to be doing a little better. Did she call her dad back yet?" I asked.

Alice nodded and said, "She did. I talked to him too. This is a crazy, messed up situation. I feel so bad for both of them. I didn't meet Bella until about a year after her mom left. By then, the initial grieving had passed, but the hurt never really went away. Charlie wouldn't even let Bella have a pet. He was too afraid it would run away and break her fragile heart. The closest thing she got was a goldfish."

"I don't really know what to do. I wish it wasn't going to hurt her so much, but I know that can't be avoided. I just hope it doesn't tear her apart. You should have seen her earlier. It was like she was just an empty shell. Tomorrow…when she actually sees her…" I shook my head, not wanting to imagine how difficult it was going to be.

"I know. It's going to be hard; that's for sure. But she'll be okay. Bella's a lot stronger than she looks. Once we get there tomorrow, she'll face everything head on and come out even stronger. You'll see. It might even be good for her…closure and all that," Alice stated with assuredness.

After we had everything cleaned up, Jasper went home and the rest of us headed to bed. I changed into a t-shirt and sleeping pants while Bella slipped off her sweatpants and crawled in bed.

"My dad seems to be handling everything pretty well. It kind of sucks that he has to bear all the expense of burying a woman he hasn't spoken to in eighteen years. A woman who left him with a daughter to raise on his own and never looked back. A woman he lost his heart to. It's just not fair," Bella complained.

"He sounded like he wanted to do it when I spoke to him on the phone. If money is a problem, I could…"

"No! I didn't mean for it to sound like that. Dad has some money in savings; it just isn't fair that he still has to be responsible for someone who clearly didn't want him to take care of her," she explained.

I rubbed her back, trying to calm her while I responded, "I get your point, but sometimes we _want_ to take care of someone, even if they don't want us to. This could be your dad's way of making up for something he felt denied of."

"Maybe…" she said thoughtfully, adding, "I don't think I can fall asleep. I'm so tired and emotionally drained, but…"

I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against my chest. "What do you usually do to help yourself fall asleep?" I asked.

She giggled softly and said, "I usually listen to your CD."

I smiled against her hair in the dark. "Okay, well…I think we can do better than that tonight. Just close your eyes and relax, sweet angel," I said before I started singing her to sleep.

She nuzzled closer to me, saying, "Thank you. Sweet dreams, Edward." She planted a soft kiss to my chest and fell asleep minutes later.

Alice woke us up at five the next morning, insisting that we take showers and eat breakfast before leaving. I took a shower first, to give Bella a few extra minutes to rest. Then I loaded their bags into my car while Alice cooked some eggs, bacon, and toast.

When I was carrying our luggage from my car to the plane, I notice the blue bunny I forgot to give Bella last night. I smiled, remembering Bethy's good intentions, and carried it onto the plane.

I led Bella to the cabin so she could rest a little more before we got there. I handed her the bunny and told her what Bethy said. She took the bunny, giving it a hug, and started crying again. Her eyes looked so sad, like a lost little girl. It broke my heart.

"Hey, don't cry. Everything's going to be okay. You're not alone. I'll be with you every step of the way, and so will Alice. And now you've got Blue Bunny too."

She forced a smile and said, "Thanks."

"Anything you need, remember?" I helped her onto the bed and kissed her before joining Alice in the front. Once the plane took off, it finally hit me. I was on my way to help my girlfriend bury her absentee mother and meet her father for the first time. Could things get any more awkward?


	21. Ch21 Renee's Funeral

Chapter 21

BPOV

Sometime around noon, I woke up and stumbled out of the airplane cabin I had been sleeping so soundly in. I found Alice flipping through the pages of several fashion magazines, and Edward was leaning back in the seat across from her. Although his eyes were closed, he didn't have that peaceful look of someone deep in slumber. I quietly started to approach them. Before I had even taken two steps, his eyes snapped open, and he straightened up in his seat.

"Hey, did you get enough rest?" he asked, causing Alice to look up and give me a small smile.

"Yeah, that bed's pretty comfortable," I replied, motioning to the room I'd just vacated. "I'm surprised I slept as long as I did though."

He nodded and said, "You needed the rest, but it's good you finally woke up. We're just about ready to land." He held his hand out to me and added, "Come here. You should probably take a seat."

I sat down beside Edward and rested my head on his shoulder. He reached over, taking my hand in his, and intertwined our fingers. I gave his hand a slight squeeze as a silent thank you.

Alice started packing her magazines away and spoke up, " This sure beats the crappy commercial flight we took a couple weeks ago. Doesn't it, Bella?"

I looked around at the plush interior of the plane. The seats were more like two long leather couches facing one another. There were eight seats in one row and six in the other. They each reclined and had seatbelts, moveable armrests with drink holders, and fold down tables. The carpeting was plush and deep burgundy in color. There was a bedroom and bathroom at one end and a large flat screen and a mini bar on the opposite end. I also noticed there was soft music filtering through a surround sound speaker system.

I chuckled, realizing that the inside of the plane was almost nicer than my apartment. "Definitely. I could get use to traveling like this," I replied without really thinking the comment through. I didn't mean for it to sound like I was expecting this kind of treatment in the future.

Edward noticed my embarrassment and chuckled before whispering in my ear, "Good thing your boyfriend's company owns the plane then."

I blushed and started to stammer out some sort of response when he interrupted my words with a quick kiss to my lips. "Come on. The plane just landed. Let's get going," he said, tugging on my hand as he stood up.

I followed him to the exit door with Alice right behind me. Edward pushed a button by the door and waited until a green light illuminated the small box above it. Then he pulled on the handle, and the door started raising up. A ground crew had already secured a set of steps for us, and a black Mercedes SUV was parked right outside.

We followed Edward to the car, and a stocky man in a suit handed him the keys. He signed something on the small clipboard presented to him and quickly passed it back. The man nodded, voiced a respectful 'thank you, sir', and walked off toward one of the buildings by the airport.

Edward opened the passenger door for me and the back door for Alice. "You two go ahead and get in. I'll get our things," he directed. Then he pushed a button on the key ring which opened the back hatch. Two of the ground crew members helped him transfer our bags from the plane to the car.

Edward hopped into the driver's seat and headed toward the access lane for the main highway. "Okay, so which way to your dad's house?" he asked me.

I glanced at the road signs and answered, "Take a left here and go south on the highway for a while. I'll call my dad and let him know we're on our way."

After I got off the phone with my dad, the realization of what we were here to do hit me like a ton of bricks. I was crying hysterically into my hands when I felt the car slow down and pull over on the shoulder of the highway.

Edward shut the engine off and positioned himself leaning towards me. He pulled me close to his chest and cradled my head in the crook of his neck. In a soft, reassuring voice he tried to comfort me, "Shhh, it's okay, baby. Everything's gonna be okay. You're gonna make it through this; I promise."

Alice leaned over the seat and squeezed my shoulder, joining Edward's attempt to comfort me. "Edward's right, Bella. You're gonna make it through this. We're both here for you."

I melted into Edward's embrace, letting their words wash over me. I felt safe, loved, and…wanted. Things I couldn't associate with the memories of my mother. I shut my eyes tightly and took several shuddering deep breaths.

"Dad just left the funeral home. He said she looked good. I don't know how he's holding himself together. I don't think I could have done it. I don't know if I'm going to be able to do it tomorrow. I don't want to see her," I rambled, shaking my head.

Alice strung together her own ramblings, saying, "I don't think I would want to see her again either…dead or alive. After all, she was the one who abandoned you and your dad all those years ago. She hurt you both, leaving with basically no explanation at all. Leaving no way to contact her if you had wanted to. And now…you're expected to honor her memory…her life. I couldn't do it. But you can, Bella. You're so much more forgiving and understanding than I am. You love her even though you hate her. You need this chance to say goodbye. You're strong enough to get through this. And during the times you're not…we'll be strong for you." She gave my shoulder one more squeeze and leaned over even more to kiss the top of my head.

I reluctantly straightened up, out of Edward's embrace. Rubbing my eyes, I acknowledged my feelings. "God, Alice. Everything you just said…it's like you pulled those thoughts right out of my head. I don't want to do this, but I have to. I'm just so angry right now. I've spent the last eighteen years trying to figure out why she left and coming up with no answers. It's like she's done it to me all over again. Only this time, it's definitely permanent. She's gone…and I'll never have those answers. I really want to yell at her more than anything right now."

This time Edward spoke up, "Bella, there's no rule that says funerals have to be a peaceful mourning. They are a chance for you to grieve in your own way…to make peace with your feelings. If you want to yell, then yell. If you want to cry, I'll be here to catch your tears. If you want to get up and leave halfway through, I'll be right behind you. Just know that you're not alone. No one expects this to be a normal 'laying to rest'. You'll find a way to deal with this _and_ be there to support your dad. Everyone else will be there to support you…whatever you need."

I laughed nervously. "You two couldn't be more perfect right now. I don't know how you both know exactly what I need to hear, but thank you."

Edward wiped a few tears from my face and studied me for a moment before reaching for the ignition. "Are you ready yet?" he asked.

I wanted to say no, but I took a deep breath and nodded instead. For the next several minutes, my mind went over the supportive words and actions of my friends as we headed towards my old home. I realized I hadn't even expressed my gratitude yet. And Edward…god, how would I have been able to do any of this without him. He completely took charge and made every arrangement that I wasn't capable of in my half comatose state. And all at his own expense. I wasn't rich, though I did have a little extra money set aside. I'm not even sure I would have been able to afford all of the last minute plans that were necessary to get me back to Forks in time. I knew there was no way I could pay him back for the private plane ride, but I could definitely cover the cost of a rental car. Granted, it was a much nicer rental than I would have reserved, but it wasn't fair to have him pay for it.

I cleared my throat and started to speak. "Both of you have really gone out of your way for me. I just wanted to say thank you. Alice, you didn't have to take time off work to come back here with me, but I'm glad you did. Thanks. And Edward, you've done so much. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you, but at least let me give you the money for this rental. It really isn't fair for you to have to cover all of my expenses. The private flight was more than helpful. Thank you."

Edward spared a brief glance at me, then trained his eyes back on the road while he said, "Bella, remember last night when we talked about wanting to take care of someone even when they didn't want us to?" I nodded, and he continued, "Well, I want to help. Let me."

I didn't want to argue; so I left it at that, making a mental note to figure out a way to pay him back later.

About half an hour later, we pulled into Dad's driveway. Alice and I were getting out of the car, and Edward was unloading our bags from the back of the SUV when Dad walked out to greet us.

"I'm glad you all made the trip safely," he called out to everyone before rushing over to envelope me in a hug. "How're you holding up, Bells?"

"I'm okay, Dad. How are you doing?"

"Fine, honey. It's been quite a mess getting everything organized so fast, but I got it done. Now, I know this little ball of fire," he gestured to Alice, "but why don't you introduce me to your other companion, Bells?"

Edward stopped dealing with our bags and stepped over to meet my dad, offering a hand for him to shake.

"Dad, this is my boyfriend, Edward. Edward, this is my dad, Charlie," I introduced.

"Hi, Edward. It's good to finally meet you. Thanks for making sure Bella got out here okay," he said, taking Edward's hand and shaking it.

"The pleasure's all mine, sir," Edward responded.

"No 'sir' necessary, Edward. After all you've done to help, you've earned the right to call me Charlie. Now, let me help you with those bags."

After they carried our things upstairs, we all took a seat in the living room. Alice and Dad filled the air with small talk about work, which lasted less than ten minutes. Then Dad initiated conversation with Edward. They talked about sports, fishing, and business - all safe subjects before the personal interrogation began.

Dad must have been feeling generous because he steered away from potentially uncomfortable subjects such as Edward's playboy reputation in the tabloids, the story behind Bethany's mom, and Edward's 'intentions' with me. Mostly, he asked about his education, family, and his musical hobby. If the circumstance behind their initial meeting had been different, I'm sure Dad would have been more blunt about asking the questions he really wanted the answers to.

Edward remained calm and confident discussing his life, but I could tell he was a little nervous by the way he occasionally ran his hands through his hair, causing it to stick up in different directions. The way he talked about Jellybean made me smile. I knew he didn't like being so far away from her, and I was actually missing her a lot myself. Her sweet little face always warmed my heart.

Once the conversation died down, Alice and Edward offered to go pick up something for dinner from the diner. After they were gone, Dad and I had our awkward conversation.

Dad cleared his throat and started, "Uh, I know these things usually happen in two parts: the viewing the night before and the actual funeral, but I didn't see the need in going through it all twice. If you wanted to go by the funeral home tonight to prepare yourself for tomorrow we have that option though. I'll go with you if you want."

I held back tears as I answered, "No. I don't think I can do it tonight. I'm not sure how I'll even feel about it tomorrow, but…" I shook my head and wrapped my arms around myself, trying not to fall apart. "Dad, how are you handling all this? I know you can't be managing as well as you're trying to put off."

He got up from his recliner and joined me on the couch, wrapping a protective arm around me as he began to explain, "It is hard. All of this has been a huge shock. I know you must be struggling with how you're suppose to be feeling right now, and I completely understand. I don't know how I'm suppose to be feeling, but I've pushed myself through it so far. Your mom was the only woman I ever loved. I thought we would spend our whole lives together, raising a family and growing old side by side. It nearly killed me when she left, but I had you to look after. You're the best thing she ever could have given me." He swallowed his emotions and started again, "I had accepted the fact that she didn't want to spend her life with me, but when I went down to the funeral home today and saw her laying lifeless in that casket…I knew I had to forgive her for all the hurt she caused. She looked so innocent and still as beautiful as the day I met her. I wish you had known her better…known the woman she was before something changed her."

Tears spilled down my face, and Dad started rubbing my back to console me. He had a faraway look in his eyes when he spoke again. "She was amazing. So carefree and fun…everybody's best friend. She had a really good heart, Bells. I've driven myself mad trying to figure out what happened to change all that. I don't think it was anything I did, but…even though _she_ left _us_, I can't help but feel like I let her down somehow too. There are a lot of things we'll never have the answers to, but in the finality of death, we've got to find a way to let it all go. I still wish I understood her reasons for doing what she did, but somehow there's a piece of my heart that still remembers the person she was when love was enough."

I completely broke down, loosing myself to tears as Dad held me tight. I had never heard him speak about her with such passion before. After the day she left, we hardly spoke about her at all. I don't think my dad knew how to handle the situation, so he avoided the topic in order to not upset me. I knew he loved her, but I never knew he felt like he had failed her. I was starting to understand Edward's theory on my dad's reactions to all this. He needed this. He needed to feel like he did something to make up for all the bad that had happened.

I heard the front door open, and Alice and Edward paused in the doorway to announce that dinner would be waiting for us when we were ready to eat. They took the food into the kitchen, and Dad and I joined them a few minutes later.

Alice and Edward lightened the mood with their constant chatter. After dinner was cleaned up, we all watched TV for a bit until Edward offered to drive Alice to her parents'.

"Thanks, Edward. Were you planning to stay here, or did you want to spend the night at my mom and dad's? I've already mentioned it to them, and they said you were more than welcome," she offered to Edward, but glanced over at me to see what I wanted.

"Dad spoke up, "Uh…we don't have a nice guest room like the Brandon's, but you are welcome to stay here if you don't mind sleeping on the couch."

I knew Dad wouldn't want Edward sharing a bed with me while he was here, but it still embarrassed me when it was made obvious by his offer of the couch.

Edward smiled and said, "A pillow and blanket will be fine. I'm not hard to please. Thank you, Charlie."

Dad nodded, and Alice gave me a hug and kiss before Edward drove her home. I helped Dad turn the couch into a bed while they were gone. When Edward got back, I walked him upstairs so he could get some sleeping clothes from his bag in my room and showed him where the bathroom was.

I was pulling the covers down on my bed when he reentered, walking over and giving me a hug.

"You doing okay?" he asked.

"Yes. Thanks for staying with me even though the Brandon's guest bed would have been much more comfortable than Dad's lumpy old couch," I said.

He smiled, then cautiously said, "I noticed there weren't any pictures of your mom laying around. Do you not have any?"

"No, not really. I think there were a few, but after she left I don't know what my dad did with them. We didn't really want any reminders laying around all these years." I walked to my closet and stretched to reach a small box on the top shelf, remembering the one picture I had stuffed in there several years ago when I finally decided that she was never coming back. "I have one picture shoved away in here," I said when I had the box in my hand. I opened it up and found the old crinkled photo of my smiling mother and handed it to him.

He studied the picture and handed it back, saying, "She was really pretty. Are you nervous about tomorrow?"

I stared at the face in the photo and answered honestly, "Of course I am, but I'm not afraid anymore. I know I'll be able to handle it with you, Alice, and my dad there. I'm still hurt by what she did, but I'm more thankful for the people in my life that want to be here."

Just then, my dad cleared his throat. Standing in the doorway, he pointed toward the picture in my hand and said, "I've got more of those if you want to look at them."

I nodded, taking Edward's hand and following my dad to his room. After rummaging through the back of his closet, he presented me with a photo album. I looked up at him, curiously wondering why I had never seen it before.

"Well, umm…when you were little, it use to upset you terribly any time you saw a picture of your mother. I gathered them all up and kept them in this album in case you ever did want them," he explained.

I slowly opened the book and was confused at first. I thought my dad had handed me the wrong album. It looked like a bunch of pictures of me; only I didn't remember any of them. Then I looked closer and realized they were younger pictures of my mom. Some of them were with my dad. Some were with a group of friends. And some were solely of her. She looked to be around seventeen. In every photo she had big, sparkling, brown eyes and a huge smile. She looked beautiful and happy. I found myself wishing, as Dad had said, that I knew _that_ woman too. I'm sure she must have been happy during some part of my childhood, but my memories were clouded by the day she left us.

As I flipped through the pages, Dad commented on several of the pictures, explaining some of them and laughing at others. There were pictures of their wedding, pictures of her pregnant, and a string of pictures throughout different stages of my baby and toddler years. The book ended abruptly with a picture of my mom and dad standing beside a 'four year old me' blowing out the candles on my birthday cake. It was taken about a month before she left.

I stood up from my dad's bed, wiping the wetness from my face and finding my voice. "Thanks for showing me these. I never knew they existed, but I'm glad you kept them."

I left the room with Edward's arm holding my side and my father flipping back through the pages of the album. Edward stopped at my bedroom door and kissed me on the cheek, saying, "Get some sleep. I'll be downstairs on the couch if you need me."

The next morning, long fingers were combing through my hair when my eyes fluttered open. A beautiful pair of bright green eyes stared back at me, and a velvet voice said, "Good morning, sweet angel."

I closed my eyes and accepted his soft kiss before stretching and sitting up in bed. I removed a squished rabbit from my clutches and tried to fluff him back into shape. Edward chuckled and said, "I'll have to be sure to tell Bethy that Blue Bunny did his job."

"Your daughter is the sweetest kid I've ever known. You've done an amazing job raising her," I told him.

He smiled, reached for my hand, and said, "Your dad did an amazing job raising his daughter too." He lifted my hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss on the inside of my wrist. "Are you ready to face the day? Your dad's downstairs starting breakfast. We should get down there and join him."

I crawled off the bed and gave him a sweet kiss to his cheek, so thankful for the wonderful man that he was. I don't think he really understood how much I needed his presence today.

When I reached the top of the staircase, the strong smell of burnt toast hit me. "Yeah, he's a great father, but a terrible cook," I joked. "We'd better get in there and save him from any more kitchen disasters." Edward laughed behind me and followed me into the kitchen.

Dad turned around from his spot at the sink when he heard us enter. "I made coffee and some…toast," he said, sheepishly holding up the over toasted slice he had been scraping at with the knife in his other hand.

I smiled, endeared by my dad's effort to provide us with something to eat. "Thanks, Dad. That sounds great," I said, reaching into the refrigerator to pull out the butter and some jellies.

Dad smiled back and added, "I can cook eggs too if either of you want some."

"No, Dad. This is fine. I'm not really that hungry. Go ahead and sit down."

He nodded and placed the stack of toast on the table, sitting down with a cup of coffee in his hand. I brought over three plates, and Edward joined us at the table, placing a coffee in front of me and holding his own cup in his right hand.

I felt bad for subjecting Edward to such a substandard morning meal. I nudged his knee with mine under the table. When he looked over at me, I said, "I can fix you something else if you're hungry."

He shook his head and replied, "No, no. This is great." Adding a couple of slices to his plate and reaching for the jelly, he nodded at my dad and said, "Thanks, Charlie."

After eating, Edward and I did a quick clean up of the kitchen while Dad got showered and started getting ready. I grabbed a shower next, while Edward deconstructed his makeshift bed on the couch. Edward was the last one to shower while I got dressed in a simple but appropriate black dress Alice had packed for me.

We were grabbing our coats and getting ready to head out when there was a knock at the door. I opened it to be greeted with a warm hug from Alice. She handed me a basket of warm blueberry muffins and said, "I don't know if you guys have eaten yet, but Mom baked some homemade muffins for you. She and Dad are waiting in the car. We were just going to follow you over this morning."

I thanked her and handed the muffins to Edward to carry to the kitchen. Although they smelled wonderful, my stomach was too twisted in knots to try one. Edward, however, eyed the basket with reverence and immediately grabbed one to eat, smiling sheepishly when he realized I had noticed. I was just glad the man had at least something edible for breakfast.

Edward offered to drive the rental car, and Dad sat in the passenger seat while I took the spot behind him. Dad directed Edward to the only funeral home and cemetery in Forks, and the Brandon's followed behind us. Once we were there, Dad helped me out of the car, and I clutched his arm tightly. The others quickly joined our sides.

I paused at the door to the funeral home, taking a deep breath and preparing myself to face what was behind those doors. Edward took my free hand and placed a soft kiss to the side of my head. I felt Alice rub a few soothing circles on my back. As soon as we stepped inside, we were greeted by the funeral director who led us to the room we would be using.

I'm not really sure what I expected, but I was taken by surprise at the amount of floral arrangements that filled the room. I avoided the center isle between the rows of dark wooden pews that led to the open casket at the end. Instead, I pulled us towards one of the outer isles that led to the beginning of the floral displays. They were all large and beautifully arranged. I spent longer than necessary looking them over and reading the note cards on each one.

There were flowers from the police force Dad worked at. Some from our next door neighbor and the crew down at the diner. There were lovely arrangements from the Brandon's, my dad's best friend, and several other members of the community. I smiled when I saw one from Jasper and nearly cried when I noticed three separate ones from the Cullens. There was a huge display from Carlisle and Esme, one from Edward and Bethy, and one from Emmett and Rosalie.

I tensed up the closer we got to the casket, still not ready to accept this reality. I stared into the flickering light from the row of candles and unwillingly traveled the path to where my mother lay. I noted the intricate rose carvings in the honey wood of the casket my father had picked out. It truly looked too beautiful for something that would be buried in the ground and never seen again. I was sure it must have been one of their most expensive choices as well. Only the top half of the casket was open. The bottom half was covered with a massive spray of white roses and baby's breath.

My eyes finally fell on my mother's peaceful looking form. I'm pretty sure I stopped breathing, but I didn't cry. I didn't feel sad or angry. I didn't feel anything at all; I was numb. She did look beautiful…almost the same as the picture I had kept of her, only a little older. Her long, dark hair cascaded around her face and shoulders, accenting her fair completion. She didn't look exactly like me, but the resemblance was definitely there. I almost wanted to touch her to make sure she was really there, but I was frozen in place. I couldn't think. I wanted to feel _something_. I needed air. I felt something tug on my arm and realized it was Edward.

"C'mon. Let's get some air for a minute," he said, tilting his head towards the side door near us.

I realized then that my chest was heaving, but I couldn't take a breath. I left my dad standing there and followed Edward out the door, inhaling a lungful of cool air as soon as we were outside. "I don't…I can't…feel anything," I said. "I should feel something…" I took several rapid breaths, trying to feel the air entering and leaving my body.

He shook his head and pulled me into him, holding me tightly. "Baby, you are feeling something. You just don't recognize it yet. Even emptiness is something. It's gonna be okay. Just breathe."

I melted into his embrace and let the rhythm of his breathing set the pace for my own. The comfort of his arms calmed me almost immediately.

"Are you ready to go back in?" he asked, and I nodded, letting him lead me back inside. We stopped and looked at the rest of the floral arrangements on that side. I noticed one from Reverend Webber's family, and a separate one from his daughter, Angela, who had been one of my closet friends in high school. There were a few others from people whose names I didn't recognize.

Alice joined us and pointed out that a few more people had joined the room. There were a couple of deputies from Dad's work, Harry and Sue Clearwater, Reverend Webber and his wife, Maggie from the Diner, one of Dad's neighbors, and several others I didn't know.

The funeral director finished talking to Dad, and we all took a seat before Reverend Webber stood behind the podium. Someone played soft music on the organ while everyone settled into the pews. The reverend read a scripture from the Bible, and his wife sang a lovely version of _Amazing Grace_. Alice surprised me by taking the stand to read a beautiful poem that was perfectly fitting. Reverend Webber spent some time talking about life, loss, and dealing with grief. He read another inspirational passage and ended the service with a prayer.

A final song softly drifted from the organ as the funeral director instructed us to take all the time we needed to say our goodbyes. Dad had decided to forego the graveside service so we didn't have to watch the casket being lowered into the ground. Each of the guests made their way over to Dad, and subsequently me, to offer their condolences and comment on how beautiful the service was before they said their goodbyes in front of the coffin.

I knew who most of the people were, but the few I didn't recognize were introduced to me by my dad. One woman was introduced to me as my mom's best friend from high school. I remembered seeing her in several of the pictures from the album my dad showed me. She was the same age as my mom, but she looked a lot older.

It was strange having everyone approach me with sympathy for my loss. The weird thing was that not one single person acted as if the situation was unusual. It was like we had been a normal family all these years. I didn't really know how to respond to anyone, so I basically stayed silent.

After everyone else left, Dad and I said goodbye to Alice and her parents, agreeing to join them for dinner at their house later. Edward said he would wait for us in the car so my dad and I could have some privacy. Dad wrapped his arm around me, and together we went to say our final goodbye.

This time when I looked at her, flashes of memories I had long forgotten flooded through my mind. They were all good memories of happy times together. I remembered standing in a chair at the kitchen sink to help her wash the dishes and dancing in front of the TV together after dinner…just to teasingly get in Dad's way. I remembered curling up by her side on the couch while she read me a book after bath time and the sound of her voice when she sang me to sleep in the rocking chair at night. I had pictures in my head of us dressed in fancy clothes and wearing silly hats for our own little tea party. The last thing I remembered was how she use to let me brush her hair and put a million different clips in it when I wanted to play beauty shop. Without thinking, I reached out and ran my fingers through a lock of her hair. It was still soft and silky, just like I remembered. Then the damn of tears burst open. I realized that this was really the last time I would ever see her, and I cried uncontrollably as Dad held me tighter to keep me from collapsing.

After crying a river of tears in my father's arms, the funeral workers entered the room again. With a nod from Dad, they closed the casket and started to carry it away.

"Come on, honey. Let's go home," Dad said as he walked me towards the front doors. As soon as we were outside, Edward stepped out of the car and met up with us. I wrapped my arms around him as he returned the gesture, holding me close and calming my emotions.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a man heading to his car. He had slipped in and out of the service without speaking to anyone, yet he was one of the last ones to leave. He looked to be a few years younger than my dad, and I remembered seeing him cry when he stood by my mother's casket.

"Dad, do you know that man over there?" I asked with a nod in that direction.

"No. I saw him inside, but he didn't introduce himself. I was wondering who he was myself," Dad answered. As if the man could here us, he turned and met my stare. He gave a sad wave as we started to approach him.

Dad stuck out his hand to greet him and said, "Hi, I don't believe we've met. I'm Charles Swan. This is my daughter, Isabella, and her boyfriend, Edward. How did you know Renee?"

The man seemed reluctant at first, but met my dad's handshake and said, "My name's Phil Dwyer." He held out a hand towards me and said, "It's nice to meet you, Bella." I was shocked that he knew my name, since Dad had introduced me as Isabella. He saw my confused expression and dropped his hand, fidgeting with hem on his suit jacket before explaining, "I'm…uh, I was…Renee's boyfriend. We lived together in Florida."

"Oh," was my brilliant response. I didn't know what else to say.

My dad cleared his throat to respond, "I didn't know. I mean, I tried to find anyone that was closely connected to her when the police notified me after the accident. When my search came up empty, I just…well…"

"I understand," Phil interjected. "I went to file a missing person's report when she didn't come home after a couple of days. That's when I found out what happened, and I flew here to at least make it to the funeral. I wasn't sure if I should introduce myself or not. I know you've both had a lot to deal with the past few days."

"Yes. Well, this whole thing has been a bit…out of the range of normal. I do apologize for…uh, well…I don't really know what to apologize for. I just wish there wasn't a need for this service in the first place," Dad said.

Phil kind of chuckled and replied, "Renee never could make things simple. I'm not surprised that this was no different. Umm, I have a flight back to Florida, leaving later tonight. I might have the answers to some of the questions you probably have. If you wanted to meet somewhere, we could talk. Of course, I understand if you'd rather not. I just wanted to offer."

Dad looked at me, and I just shrugged my shoulders. I didn't know if anything Phil had to say would make much of a difference at this point. He must have decided it was worth listening to because he offered to let Phil follow us home to continue the conversation.

Once we were on our way, Dad asked, "Are you okay with this, Bells? You don't have to talk to him if you don't want to, honey. I just figured we might as well hear what he has to say. No need to wonder about it later, you know?"

"Yeah, Dad. It's fine," I answered.

Phil followed us into the house and took a seat beside my dad at the kitchen table. Edward looked unsure whether he should sit down or leave to give us some privacy. I gave him a quick hug and whispered, "Stay, please." He took the seat next to Phil and I started the coffee maker before I joined them.

Dad nervously started out the conversation by asking, "So how long have you known Renee?"

"We were together for about seven years. I met her while I was working…sort of. I'm the manager of a minor league baseball team in Florida, and Renee was working in the advertising department at the local radio station at the time. I met her while I was dropping off free game tickets for the radio station to give away. I invited her to attend the game with me, but she turned me down. Two weeks later, she was the waitress at a bar I went to. I told her she was beautiful and asked her out again, but she laughed and told me it was just the beers talking. A month later, she was ringing up my groceries at the supermarket. I figured she just couldn't hold onto a job for long, but I still thought it must be fate…the way we kept running into each other everywhere. I finally convinced her to go out with me and well…we ended up moving in together a few months later."

I heard Edward chuckle beside me, and I knew what he was thinking. Phil's story sounded similar to the way Edward and I started out. I noticed the coffee was ready and got up to pour everyone a cup. When I sat back down, I offered Phil a muffin from the basket on the table. He paused his story to take one, and I decided to question him about something he said earlier.

"Phil, you said that you went to file a missing person's report a couple of days after Renee didn't come home. Why did you wait that long? I mean, was it normal for her to not come home sometimes?"

He shifted in his seat a bit, and I could tell he was getting ready to talk about something uncomfortable. "I suppose this is where I should give you a little more background information. It's probably the most important part of the story," he paused, taking a look around the table. I gave him a nod, and he continued, "Several years before I met Renee, she was diagnosed with an extreme case of bipolar disorder coupled with severe depression. She struggled for a lot of years, working with the doctors to get her medications right. She was taking several different types of prescriptions when we met. On the right dosages, she lived a happy and normal life. Sometimes, she would forget to take her medicine or quit on purpose because they were making her feel sick. During those times, she would react differently. Sometimes she just locked herself in the bedroom for days, until I forced her to go back to see the doctor. Other times, she would take off and stay gone for up to weeks at a time. The medicines were tricky. Certain ones could counteract with others, and sometimes her body became immune to the ones she had been on for a long time, causing them to be ineffective. It was also hard for her to gauge her own reactions to the medicines, so she really needed constant monitoring. It was hard for me to keep a proper eye on her since my job frequently required traveling." He paused, picking at the muffin in front of him with a regretful look on his face.

Edward broke the silence by saying, "I'm sure you did as much as you could for her. I knew someone in college who had a similar condition. It became too difficult for her to manage, and her parents ended up taking her out of school. I don't know what happened to her after that, but I know how hard it can be on someone going through that and their families."

Phil nodded and started talking again, "Yes, it's very hard, but I cared about her a lot…I loved her. She was doing a lot better the last few years. Her medications seemed to be working well, and she actually started traveling with me when I had to go away for work. I made enough money to support us, so instead of switching jobs so often, she just took up a bunch of different hobbies to occupy her time. She never liked to stick with one thing too long though. I don't know if that had anything to do with her condition or just her personality in general."

Dad smiled and said, "I think that was just her personality. She always did like trying new things. One time she told me she wanted to be able to do everything in the world at least once."

Phil smiled back and added, "That sounds like something she would say. I'm not exactly sure when her illness set in, but the doctors said that she had gone untreated for quite some time before she was diagnosed." His face took on a serious but sympathetic expression before he added, "I can't say I know why Renee left you both back then, but I do know that she regretted it. My theory is that it was the beginning of her illness, and she was confused. There were a lot of times during her depression stages that she would cry and swear that she was the worst person alive. She knew she made a mistake that she could never make up for. There were a couple of times I tried to convince her to come back and try to find either of you, but she insisted that you both were better off without her. No one can know what would have happened if she had tried, but it still wouldn't have changed the past and probably wouldn't have changed the future."

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. "I don't even know what to say…or what to think about all of this. I feel bad that she had to go through all of that. But it's just so awful for everyone."

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to upset anyone or cause more grief. I guess I hoped it might help you understand. She did love you. I know that might sound ridiculous right now, but she often commented that she hoped your life held every happiness you could dream of. She still carried a picture of you in her wallet and a wedding picture of her and Charlie as well."

Dad looked a little shocked, but Phil turned to him and continued, "As I said, I did love Renee. I asked her to marry me several times, and each time I got the same answer. She told me she already married the love of her life once and didn't have her whole heart to give anymore. I'll admit it hurt, but I also know she loved me the most that she could. And she did love both of you, even though she hurt you."

There was a simultaneous drying of eyes around the table. Then Dad said, "Thank you. I know it wasn't easy for you to share all this with us, but I appreciate that you did."

Phil nodded and stood up from the table. "Well, I've taken up enough of your time, and I still have to head back to the hotel to check out before my flight, so I better be going."

We all stood up to walk him to the door. He carefully gave me a hug, pulling back and grazing my cheek with the back of his hand before apologizing for his actions. "I'm sorry. You just look so much like your mother." He probably meant it as a compliment; my mother was really beautiful, but I didn't want to look like her. I just wanted to look like me.

He turned to Dad and said, "Thanks for inviting me into your home and listening. And for everything you did to put the funeral together. It was a really nice service. Renee would have been pleased."

I leaned backwards into Edwards arms and let his presence calm me while Dad walked Phil to his car. He came back a few minutes later and let out a shaky breath. "Well…that was a lot to absorb," he admitted.

I let out a sigh and agreed with a simple, "Yeah." I knew we probably wouldn't discuss it passed this point. Dad and I were the same that way. We would both give the information enough time to sink in before processing it on our own.

We all separated to change into more comfortable clothes before heading to the Brandon's for dinner. Dinner was really nice. There was no talk about the day's events, and the atmosphere was warm and relaxed. As always, the food was delicious. After dinner, Alice and I showed Edward around the house while the parents talked over coffee in the den.

I filled Alice in on the encounter with Phil, and she was shocked. She asked me how I felt about everything, but I still had no idea.

We joined everyone in the den and had dessert before we left. When we got back to the house, Dad headed straight to his room after wishing us a goodnight. I remembered promising to show Edward the night sky in Forks and asked him if he wanted to go for a walk on the beach. He easily agreed, and we drove down to my favorite spot.

We were lucky the skies were clear, but it was still quite cold so we had to be bundled up a bit. As we walked along the beach, holding hands, Edward asked, "So how is Isabella Swan doing now?" He wasn't asking how I was feeling right this second. He wanted to know how I had been affected by everything that had happened. I understood exactly.

"Isabella Swan is great," I said, looking up at him and smiling.

"Good," he said, leaning down and kissing me.

We walked a little further down the beach until we found a large boulder to lean against, shielding us from the chill of the wind. I pressed my back against his chest and covered his arms with mine when he wrapped them around me. Pointing toward the sky, I asked, "So, what do you think? Beautiful, isn't it?"

I heard the soft voice behind me say, "Definitely the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

I turned around, expecting to see him staring up at the sky, but he wasn't. He was staring right at me. "You're not even looking," I pointed out, shoving his shoulder playfully.

"What?" he asked, looking genuinely confused.

"The sky, Edward. All the stars in the sky. Remember I promised to show them to you one day?"

He bit his lip and grinned. "Oh, right." He looked up at the sky, pulling me back against him. "You're right. It does look like a million diamonds scattered across a sea of black velvet." I smiled, happy he remembered my description.

We sat down on the sand next to each other, still leaning against the large rock. He brushed some of the windblown hair out of my face and studied me for a few seconds before starting a conversation. "So…all the stuff Phil had to say…"

I leaned on his shoulder and answered, "Yeah, he said a lot. I guess I'm glad I got to hear it, but I don't think it really changes anything. Knowing my mom's illness may have been the reason she left, doesn't make it hurt any less. I don't know…maybe it does help me understand it a little though. I use to think that it was me…that I wasn't good enough for her to want me. I suppose I don't really feel like that anymore."

"You were just a little girl. Sick or not, what your mom did was never because of you," he declared.

"I know that. Rationally, I always knew that. I missed her a lot when she first left, and there were plenty of times when I felt hurt, sad, angry, or upset that she was gone. But in the big picture, my life was pretty good. Dad was always there for me…always treated me like the world's most prized treasure. I felt more love than a lot of kids do with two parents. And Alice represented the best sister a girl could ask for."

"Yeah, I guess you lucked out on that part. Your dad and Alice both loved you and took good care of you," he murmured in my ear.

"Right. And just look at my life now. I graduated from college. I live in a great city and have a good job, awesome friends, and most likely the most perfect boyfriend that ever existed," I teased with a row of tiny kisses to his jaw line. He laughed and called me a suck-up.

"Edward?"

"Hmm?"

"Have you ever thought about what you're going to tell Bethy when she asks about her mom one day? I mean, I just don't want her to ever think that there's any way someone could not want her."

"Yeah, I've always been worried about that. Luckily, she's never asked yet. I don't really know how I'll explain it when she does, but I can't lie to her. I won't tell her all the terrible details about how her mother acted…I guess I'll just tell her that her mom wasn't ready for kids yet and decided to leave her with me instead. I've always hoped that if I provided her with all the love in my heart and a life full of every opportunity possible that she would never have a reason to wonder about a different kind of life that included her mother." He raked his hands through his hair and shrugged his shoulders. "She's never even seen her mother, but I know even adopted kids often wonder about their biological parents. I hate to think that she will always wonder about that missing piece, but I hope…I mean, look at what you went through with your mother, and you're still happy, right?"

"Perfectly happy. And Bethy will be too. I see how you are with her. You're everything she needs in a parent. To be honest, I've wondered if you had some sort of super powers. I've never seen her be anything but happy and not in a spoiled way. She's so well behaved and caring. You raised an extraordinary little girl."

He laughed and said, "Oh, she has her moments! Like every kid, I guess, she knows how to throw a temper tantrum when she really wants to."

I laughed along with him. "Well, that may be, but as far as her missing a mom…I don't think you have to worry too much about that. Plus, she has your mom and the rest of your family who love her. From what you've told me about her mom, she isn't missing anything."

He simply nodded, kissed the top of my head, and said, "Thank you."

It wasn't much longer before we were both too cold to stay on the beach. We went back to the house and ended up falling asleep on the couch together. I woke up the next morning to the sound of my father clearing his throat above us.

"Do you want to make breakfast, Bells? Or should I?" Dad asked with a smirk on his face.

I jumped up quickly and answered, "No, no, Dad! I've got it!" He laughed, and I headed to the kitchen to fry some eggs and sausage.

After breakfast, Edward started packing up his things and loading them in the car. He told me he and Alice were planning on heading back today, but asked if I needed to stay longer. I told him I was ready to go home as well. I knew my dad would be okay, and so would I. The past was behind us. Everything was good, if not better than before.

Edward went to pick up Alice while my dad and I drove over to the cemetery to check out the gravesite together. Before we even pulled in, you could see the mound of flowers on the freshly dug grave. I took my dad's hand as we walked the path to a headstone that simply read: Renee Swan 1970 - 2011. I noticed it was on one side of a double gravesite and remembered Dad telling me about receiving it as part of his benefits package from work when he started. Looking at the empty side and thinking about my dad's name next to hers sometime in the _very_ distant future, it oddly didn't seem weird to me.

On the ride back home, Dad took the opportunity to let me know how he felt about Edward. "So, that boyfriend of yours, Edward…"

I rolled my eyes, getting ready for the fatherly lecture I assumed was coming. "What about him, Dad? Go ahead and warn me of all the ways he's not good enough."

He looked over at me and raised a brow. "Why do you assume I don't approve of him?"

I gave him the raised brow back and answered, "Since when do you approve of anyone I date?"

He chuckled and went on to say, "Okay, I guess you're right about that. But I did a background check on him after you were here last time -"

"Dad!" I admonished him before he could finish.

Dad looked surprised by my outburst and finished saying, "What? I've always done a background check on anyone you bring into your life. Anyway, as I was saying…his record came back clean as a whistle, not even a parking ticket. And I know those tabloid magazines like to exploit fiction more than fact, so I'm not judging him by what I've read in those things." I nodded, grateful that he wasn't going to hold any of that against Edward. He continued, "Listen up because this may be the only time I say this, but I approve of your boyfriend."

I couldn't stop the humongous smile that took over my face. I know I'm an adult, and I would have stayed with Edward with or without my father's blessing, but it was nice to hear that he approved.

"That boy went to a lot of trouble to help you through a difficult time. I can see how much he cares about you. As long as he keeps making you happy…You are happy, right?"

"Of course I'm happy. Edward's been nothing but considerate and caring since we've started dating," I said.

"Do you love him?"

"What? That's not…we're not really at that stage yet, Dad," I proclaimed.

He shook his head and said, "You might not be at the stage of proclaiming it to each other, but I see how you look at each other. I can tell you right now…that boy loves you, Bells. Once you admit how you feel to yourself, you'll see that I'm right."

We pulled into the driveway, and I saw Edward and Alice sitting on the porch. I shot Edward a cheesy smile and waved as I was getting out of the car. Alice met my dad with a covered dish in her hands and said, "Hey, Charlie. Miss Cope, down the street, dropped this off for you."

Dad took the dish and carried it in the house, looking a little embarrassed. Alice hugged Dad goodbye and darted off to the car. Edward went upstairs to grab my packed bags, and I hugged my dad in the doorway.

"Okay. Well, now that we've had the boyfriend talk…I just want to remind you to be careful. I mean…be safe…shit! I like the guy, but I'm not ready to be a grandpa yet, if you know what I mean."

_What the hell? _"Dad! We're not even…that's not…we're not doing _that_ yet, okay?"

Edward picked that moment to pass by, carrying my things to the car with a chuckle. Clearly, he heard that part of our conversation.

Dad gave me the 'I don't believe you for one second' look and said, "I know you're a grown woman now, Bells. You don't have to try to convince me -"

"I'm not trying to convince you. We're not…ugh! Edward?" I looked to where Edward was strategically arranging the bags in the car with a goofy grin on his face. He just shook his head and continued moving around bags. Obviously, he wasn't coming near this conversation with a ten foot pole!

I looked back at my dad and decided to be honest. "Seriously, Dad. I can't even believe we're having this discussion, but honestly…we aren't. Not that I wouldn't, but Edward's…waiting. Just so you know, I'll be careful when the time comes." I gave my dad a kiss on the cheek, and he raised both brows in surprise to my revelation.

He cleared his throat and said, "Alright then." He started to walk towards the car, and I heard him mumble, "Starting to like Edward even more now."

Edward finally stopped messing with the damn bags and walked over to my dad, shaking his hand and saying, "It was nice to meet you, Charlie. Thanks for letting me stay in your home."

"Nice meeting you too, Edward. Thank you for getting my little girl home and taking good care of her. Don't forget to keep treating her right. I'd hate to have to hunt you down and shoot you if you hurt her." Dad may have been joking, but he gave Edward a level glare just for good measure.

"Not gonna happen, sir," Edward responded, earning a nod from Dad.

"Good to hear. You kids have a safe flight back. Call me when you get home, Bells," Dad said in parting.

As we were backing out, we noticed another woman coming down the drive with a covered dish in her hands. I had already answered the door for about five other women armed with food this morning.

Alice giggled from the back seat and said, "Don't these women know Charlie's been without a wife for about eighteen years already?"

I laughed and said, "Maybe Dad will end up getting lucky with one of them."

Edward chuckled and added, "If not, at least he won't go hungry."

We all laughed and drove off toward the airport, ready to get back to our lives in New York.


	22. Ch22 A Jealous Edward

Chapter 22

EPOV

The plane ride home felt much lighter than I'd expected. Given the nature of our trip, I wasn't sure how long it would take for Bella to recover from everything that happened. Surprisingly, she seemed fine. She looked a little tired and maybe a tiny bit sad, but her eyes held that beautiful sparkle I loved so much again. Her strength and resilience amazed me.

When we arrived back, I helped Bella and Alice carry their bags into their apartment. Alice immediately started flittering around, tossing dirty laundry in the wash and cleaning up around the apartment. Amused by her energy, I looked at Bella and said, "Wow, she doesn't waste any time; does she?"

She laughed and replied, "Usually we spend a whole day scrubbing down everything in the apartment before we go away for a few days. I guess she feels a little off doing it backwards."

I nodded, then asked, "Are you going to be okay if I leave you with the crazy cleaning pixie tonight? If you need me to stay for anything I'm sure Mom wouldn't mind keeping Bethy one more night."

She smiled, stretched up on her toes to give me a quick kiss, and said, "I'll be fine. After I unpack, I'll help Alice finish cleaning. I've kept you away from your daughter for long enough. Go ahead and go get her. I'm sure she's been missing you like crazy. Oh! Hold on a minute!"

I watched her walk over to her bags and unzip one of them, digging through it until she pulled out Blue Bunny. She headed to the kitchen and started opening up a couple of drawers and a cabinet. Then she called out, "It's okay if Bethy has some chocolate, right?"

When I told her that was fine, she filled a small plastic bag with a few Hershey's Kisses and tied it closed with several strips of red ribbon. She cut a small square off a piece of paper and wrote 'Thank You' on it, poking a hole in the corner and attaching it with the ribbon. She used the scissors to curl the ends of the ribbon before tying it to Blue Bunny's wrist. She handed me the bunny, instructing me to give it back to Bethy and to make sure she knew how thankful she was for Bethy loaning him to her.

Bella walked me to the door and said, "Have a great day with Bethy tomorrow. I'll call you when I'm done with work."

I leaned down and kissed her before saying, "Okay. Have a nice time at the photography exhibit. A nice time - not a great time since you're going with another man instead of me." I winked at her and gave her a half smile so she knew I was only teasing. Well, it wouldn't hurt to let her _think_ I was only teasing. In reality I was secretly hoping Jacob would go jump off a cliff or something.

"I'll make sure to have a miserable time so you'll feel better," she joked, playfully pushing me out the door and closing it.

I was a few steps away when I heard the door reopen and Bella called out, "Edward?" When I turned around to face her, she crashed into me with a hug, saying, "I just wanted to say thank you again for everything you did for me. I really don't know how I would have made it without you."

I squeezed her back and told her, "No need to thank me, baby. I'm glad I was able to be there for you. Now get back inside, and I'll see you Sunday for dinner at my parents'." I kissed her again and waited for her to disappear into her apartment before leaving.

Needless to say, Bethy was excited to see me when I showed up to get her. She was happy to hear that Blue Bunny helped Bella, and promptly opened the bag of chocolate that was attached to him. After talking to Mom and Dad about the trip briefly, and assuring them that Bella was doing okay, I took Bethy home and curled up in my bed with her to go to sleep for the night.

The next morning I was happy to spend the day playing tea party and watching Disney movies with Bethy. I was happy to take her out to our favorite pizza shop when she said that's what she wanted for dinner. I was not happy to see _my girl _walk through the doors of that same pizza shop, smiling and laughing with another man.

Bethy happened to notice Bella about the same time as I did. She was out of her seat and running over to greet her faster than I could stop her. With a tug of her hand, she led them back to our table to join us. Bethy hopped into the chair beside me, bouncing and swinging her legs.

"Daddy, look who I found! Can they eat wif us?"

I forced a smiled for Bethy and said, "Of course they can. That is, if they want to."

Jacob reached out to shake my hand. "It's good to see you again, man. Mind if we join you?"

"Not at all," I replied, gesturing to the seats in front of us.

Jacob pulled out the chair across from Bethy for Bella to sit down. I watched her grab his bicep and lean in to whisper something in his ear. He nodded once and glanced over at me before taking a seat beside her. An unwelcome pang of jealousy ripped through me, and I was not at all happy with this scenario.

Bella looked a little nervous as she asked Bethy, "So, what have you and your dad been up to today?"

Bethy wasted no time in answering, "We played tea party and watched _Finding Nemo_ and _Sleeping Beauty_. What did you do today? Who is that wif you?"

"Oh, this is my friend, Jake. We were out looking at cool pictures at the museum today. He's helping me with one of my work assignments," she answered, touching _Jake's_ arm again as she introduced him.

I cleared my throat and joined the conversation. "So, how was the exhibit? Interesting enough to write a good article about it?"

Jacob answered before Bella, stating, "Actually, it was very interesting. There were some incredible works there from a lot of different photographers. I doubt you need to be an expert to enjoy it, but it was nice to be able to share my knowledge with someone who was interested in techniques as well as the beauty of the finished product."

The waitress noticed the addition to our table and dropped off two more menus, telling us she would be back in a few minutes to take our order. Jacob continued explaining the technical aspects of photography, such as lighting, angles, coloring, and focus. I paid little attention to his words as I took in Bella's appearance. She was wearing a nice pair of black dress pants, sensible black heels, and a royal blue silk top. Her hair was down, but nicely styled with big, loose curls. Her face looked flawless with a minimal amount of make up. She was chewing on her bottom lip while she looked over the menu. In short, she looked beautiful, but currently nervous. Jacob was similarly dressed in black dress pants and shoes with a light blue dress shirt. I noticed how Bethy and I were casually wearing jeans and sweaters. Then I realized how this scene looked to any bystander. Bella and Jacob looked like a happy couple who had been out on a nice date when they ran into _friends_ at the pizza shop…Not a good image in my mind. No. I didn't want to look like the friend. I didn't want them to look like the happy couple sitting across from me. I wanted everyone to know that she was _my_ girl.

There was an awkward tenseness in the air when the waitress came back to take our order. Eventually, we decided to split an extra large pizza and ordered a few sides to go along with it. Bethy, of course, had to have her French fries. The rest of us got a salad, some breadsticks, and an order of fried mushrooms.

Once the food arrived, it was less uncomfortable at the table. We all ate and talked about random things. Bethy was excited to hear that Bella was going to be joining us at Mom and Dad's the next day and proceeded to fill her in on all the cool things she had over there.

When the waitress showed up with the check, Jacob pulled his wallet out to pay for their half, but I insisted on covering the bill. There was no way in hell I was letting him buy _my _girldinner, even if she did come here with him in the first place. He did convince me to let him leave the tip, which I didn't argue about.

We all walked out together, and there was another awkward moment as we stood on the sidewalk to say our goodbyes. Bella thanked Jacob for going with her and helping her out with her assignment. He gave her a hug and said, "No problem. I had a great time. If you ever need my knowledgeable assistance in the future, give me a call."

I glared daggers in his back as he hugged her, and he must have caught me because he chuckled and said, "It was nice seeing you again, man. Take it easy," as he clapped me on the shoulder and left.

"Yeah, later," I said, basically ignoring him as I watched Bella frown at me.

"Uh, did you need a ride or are you parked around here?" I asked Bella.

Still frowning, she answered, "No, I'm parked just down the street." She pointed in the opposite direction of where I parked. I nodded and fumbled out a response.

"Okay, well…I guess…I'll call you later…to set up a time to pick you up tomorrow."

"Sure."

Bethy, oblivious to the weird strain between us, hugged Bella's leg and chirped out a cheery "See you tomorrow, Izzybelwa!"

Bella's face softened with a smile as she patted Bethy's head and replied, "Yep! I'll see you tomorrow, Jellybean!"

For the whole drive home I was pissed off. I was angry that my fun dinner with my daughter turned into some fucked up double date. I was mad that Jacob had a 'great time' with my girl. I was upset by the look on Bella's face when I left her. Most of all, I was pissed off at myself. The more I thought about it, the clearer it became that all of it was my fault. If we hadn't been hiding our relationship from my daughter, I could have easily claimed her as my girlfriend when they showed up. I wouldn't have felt threatened by his presence if I could have kissed her or held her hand while we were there. She wouldn't have felt uncomfortable if we weren't holding back in front of Bethy. And she wouldn't have walked away thinking I was an asshole.

I realized that we needed to tell Bethy the truth about our relationship. I don't know why it took this long for me to figure it out, but I now knew that it wasn't protecting anyone to keep it a secret. It was making it harder. Bethy deserved to know the truth, and Bella deserved one hundred percent of my effort in this relationship. I knew the person Bella was on the inside, and I knew how I felt about her. I wanted her in my future, and if things didn't work out for some reason…I would always care about her. I would still be there for her even if we weren't dating, and I knew she would still be there for Bethy. I quickly decided to talk to Bella tonight about telling Bethy.

After I gave Bethy a bath and got her tucked into bed, I called Bella to have an important discussion. It took three rings before she answered with a simple 'hello'.

"Hey, are you busy?" I asked.

"Not yet. I just got out of the bath and was getting ready to start working on my article. I wanted to have it done so I wouldn't have to worry about it tomorrow."

"That's a good idea. Listen, I think we need to have a talk before tomorrow…" I started to say, but was cut off by a sigh from Bella.

"Yeah, I think we do," she huffed.

Forgetting how much of an ass I was earlier, I was confused by her abruptness. "What do you mean?" I asked like an idiot.

"This evening, Edward…What was that all about? You were pretty rude to Jacob, you know?"

Feeling a little defensive, I irrationally blurted out, "Well, excuse me for not being thrilled to share dinner with your ex-boyfriend."

"What!" she shouted.

_Shit…_

"Jacob's not my ex-boyfriend! And I thought you were okay with me going out with him today," she fumed.

"Okay. Maybe not an ex-boyfriend, but you did date him before. Did you not?"

"We went on a couple of dates. Nothing serious," she sighed into the phone.

"And you were attracted to him? Were you two intimate with each other?" I asked, digging myself deeper into the hole of possessive, insecure, dickhead boyfriends.

"What? The most we ever did was kiss. Like I said, it wasn't anything serious. Why are we even discussing this? That has nothing to do with what happened today. Don't you trust me?"

I took a deep breath and answered, "Yes, I trust you. It's him I don't trust."

"Seriously, Edward? We talked about this. You know I never would have invited him if I thought you weren't comfortable with it. I would have gone to the exhibit alone if I knew it was going to cause this much trouble."

"I didn't have a problem with him helping you out for work. I didn't expect there to be a dinner date following the exhibit," I said in a pathetic attempt to explain my terrible behavior.

There was another long huff on her end before she said, "We spent a few hours at the exhibit and decided to grab a slice of pizza before we went home. It wasn't planned, but I don't see what's wrong with having dinner with a friend. You know it wasn't a 'date' like that…You know what? I did nothing wrong here. You acted like an ass at dinner, and you're still being unreasonable. I've got work to do. Call me back when you can have a civilized conversation with me."

Then…she hung up.

I sat there, staring at the phone in my hand, wondering what the hell went wrong with that call. I hadn't even intended on discussing Jacob, only the possibility of telling Bethy about us. Then I realized that I hadn't even apologized for my earlier behavior, and Bella had no way of knowing why I was upset. _Fuck! I really do suck at this._

After taking a couple of minutes to get my shit together, I hit redial and waited for my chance to redeem myself. Bella answered immediately by saying, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hung up on you. That was wrong. I just…"

I stopped her apology mid sentence. "No, Bella. Don't apologize. You were right. I was an ass. _I'm_ sorry. I didn't mean to say all those things, and I didn't mean to be a dick at dinner. It took me by surprise when you two ended up at the pizza place, and for some reason…I got jealous."

"Okay."

"Okay? Are you still mad at me?" I asked.

"No, Edward. I was never mad at you. I was a little hurt that you didn't trust me, but I accept your apology."

I still felt like an asshole. She didn't understand that it had nothing to do with trusting her. I tried to explain, "I'm so sorry, Bella. I do trust you, baby. Please don't think I don't. It's just that you're beautiful…gorgeous…perfect even. You're everything any guy would die to have a chance with. Sitting in that restaurant…pretending we weren't 'together'…I didn't like that feeling. I don't want to do that anymore."

"What are you saying?" she asked.

"I'm saying that we need to tell Bethy about us. I don't want to wait any longer. I think she'll be fine with it. Well, more than fine. She'll be ecstatic. That's actually what I was referring to earlier when I said we needed to talk. Are you okay with telling her already?"

Finally, she giggled. "I'd be really be happy if we told her about us. And it would be nice to not hide our feelings anymore. When do you want to tell her?"

"Tomorrow? Either before or after dinner," I suggested.

"Oh, okay. I think maybe we should wait until after dinner, just in case it is weird for her. I don't want to sit through my first dinner with your family feeling uncomfortable," she said.

"Your first dinner with my family was at the charity ball, remember?" I joked.

"You know what I mean. My first 'family' dinner, not a fundraiser," she retorted.

I laughed and said, "After dinner tomorrow sounds good. Maybe we can stop off for ice cream on the way home and tell her together."

"Are you trying to soften her up with frozen treats?" she teased.

Chuckling, I answered, "I don't think she'll need softening up, but it can't hurt."

With that decided, I remembered something I wanted to know but was afraid to bring up. Cautiously, I went ahead and asked, "Bella? I was just curious…what did you whisper to Jacob before you sat down at dinner? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

She laughed and said, "I was telling him that Bethy didn't know about 'us' yet. I didn't want her to find out by something Jacob might have said. He did just spend three hours with me bragging about how happy I was with my new 'boyfriend'."

"God, I'm such an ass."

We both let out a good laugh, and I teasingly asked, "Did you really spend three hours bragging about me?"

"Well, basically. He's got a new girlfriend that he's pretty infatuated with too, so some of that time was spent talking about her."

"Right. Well, I'm gonna end this conversation before I feel even more like a jerk. Go get your article done. Tomorrow you're all mine. Goodnight, sweet angel."

"Sweet dreams, Jealousward."

BPOV

I pulled my special caramel apple pie out of the oven and went to get dressed while it cooled. I was feeling a little nervous this morning, and baking always helps calm me. Plus, I wanted to bring something with me to dinner. You know, good manners and all. I wasn't exactly nervous about having dinner with his family because I already knew them all pretty well by this point, but it's been years since I've had a family dinner as someone's girlfriend. I've always feared their expectations were much higher when you were romantically involved with one of their own.

The main thing I was nervous about was telling Jellybean that I was dating her father. I could tell that she already liked me, and she's such a sweet little girl, but what if she doesn't like the idea of sharing her dad with another woman? Some kids can get pretty jealous of their parent's mate.

Thinking about jealousy made me think about Edward and our first little fight last night. Like I told Edward, I wasn't mad at him; I was hurt by the idea that he didn't trust me. I thought our relationship was stronger than that. I thought he knew me enough to know that I would never hurt him in that way. It's hard to remember that what we have is still pretty new. I guess that's why we were still taking things slow. I have to admit that his jealous side, although stupid, did make me feel good. I know he's told me that I'm beautiful before, but that's the kind of thing you're suppose to say to your girlfriend. The way he described me when he was pleading his case made me realize that he really does think I'm someone special. Someone that other men would want, and he wants to keep me for himself. It was kind of nice to know that.

At two o'clock on the dot, I received a text message that Edward was in front of my building. I had told him I would meet him outside so he didn't have to worry about dragging Bethy in and out of the car.

I hopped in the car and almost leaned over to give Edward a kiss before I remembered Bethy was in the backseat. _Good thing we're telling her today. I'm not sure I can keep up this charade for much longer._

Edward's slipping too, because he greeting me by saying, "Hey, baby," as he reached for my hand.

I covered by holding up the pie and saying, "I hope everyone likes apple pie. I just baked it this morning."

"Yay! I love apple pie, Izzybelwa," the Jellybean in the back seat cheered.

Edward smiled and added, "She's not lying either. As small as she is, she would probably eat the whole thing if I let her."

The half an hour car ride was filled mainly with the sounds of Jellybean's singing from the backseat.

The Cullens lived in a gated community, full of large houses on five acre tracks. All the lots were wooded, and every house was partially secluded by trees. As we were driving down their long driveway, my stomach started to knot up, and I was twisting my hands together in my lap. Edward noticed and asked, "Why are you so nervous?"

"I don't know. I just don't want to mess up," I mumbled.

He smiled, reached over and squeezed my hand, and said, "You couldn't possibly. Everyone already loves you."

'_Everyone?_', I thought to myself. My dad's words echoed in my thoughts. _That boy loves you, Bells. _I shook my head to clear my thoughts. _It's just an expression_, I told myself.

While Edward was releasing Bethy from her car seat, I got out with my pie and waited for them by the front of the car. As soon as she was loose, she hit the ground running. "Come on, Izzybelwa! I can show you my nana's house!"

I followed her to the front door with Edward right behind me. He reached around me to turn the doorknob when Bethy was having trouble with it.

"Nana! Pop-Pop! I here wif Izzybelwa!"

Edward laughed and gestured me inside. Esme met us in the foyer and greeted me with a hug. "I'm glad you came. And apparently, so is Bethany," she mused.

"Thanks for having me," I said.

She greeted Edward with a hug and a kiss to the cheek. "Hi, sweetheart."

Carlisle entered and welcomed me in just before Jellybean tried to drag me off somewhere. Carlisle laughed and scooped her up in his arms. "Let your daddy give Isabella a tour of the house before you go dragging her off to your playroom, little girl," he said, poking at her belly and making her giggle. It was a little strange to see him dressed casually and outside of the work setting, but nice. He looked pleasantly relaxed, and you could tell that he enjoyed spending time with his family, especially the little girl in his clutches.

Esme showed me to the kitchen and thanked me for the pie I placed on the counter. Then she told Edward to show me around the house while she worked on dinner.

Their house wasn't as huge as I expected it to be, but it was gorgeous. Edward showed me the kitchen, dining room, sitting room, family den, bathroom, and Esme's office on the main level. All of the rooms were spacious and expertly decorated. They weren't museum style fancy, although you could tell that everything was very expensive. It still felt warm and lived in.

The second floor held Edward and Emmett's old bedrooms, which were basically the same way they had left them when they moved out. The third bedroom had been converted into a playroom for Bethy. There was also a guest bedroom, another bathroom, and Carlisle's study.

The entire third floor was the master bedroom, complete with two large walk-in closets, a separate sitting room, huge bathroom, and a steam room. Aside from no kitchen, it was a thousand times better than my apartment.

The last space he showed me was the basement. It was a teenager's dream. There was a weight room, pool table, full sized bar, and an entertainment area with couches, a TV big enough to be a movie screen, and several different gaming systems.

"What the hell, Edward? Is this the house you grew up in?" I asked in awe.

"Sort of. We moved here when I was almost twelve. Our house before that was a pretty nice two-story colonial, but nowhere near this extravagant. Still, sometimes I miss that old house. There were a lot more kids in the neighborhood to play with, and I guess everyone has fond memories of their first childhood home."

"I can't believe this place. You and your brother must have been the envy of all the teenagers at school," I said, still shocked by the idea of having everything you could want under one roof.

Edward just shrugged and said, "I guess so."

I knew Edward and his family had money. They owned a multi-billion dollar company, flew around in a private jet, drove expensive cars, and dressed in tailor fitted clothing, but this was the first time it occurred to me how different our lives were. For all of this to be so 'normal' for Edward, it was something I had never even dreamt of in my wildest fantasies.

"You guess so? Come on, Edward. You saw my childhood home. The one that my father stills lives in, I might add. At least admit that it's above average here."

He frowned at me and said, "I like your Dad's house. It's comfortable."

I had to laugh. "Yeah, comfortable. That lumpy old couch wasn't so comfortable, was it?"

His face turned a bit red before he smiled and admitted, "No. It wasn't that comfortable, but for just the two of you…it was a nice house. Don't look at it as substandard just because it's in comparison to something 'above average'. Did you enjoy growing up there?"

"Yeah, I did. It is a nice house," I agreed.

We made our way back upstairs and took a peek in the backyard. Without a doubt, it was a well manicured lawn with professional landscaping. There was a beautiful garden of exotic looking plants and flowers surrounding a decorative fish pond. Further towards the back of the yard, there was an in-ground pool, stone barbeque grill, and what I assumed was a small pool house.

By the time we got back to the kitchen, Emmett and Rosalie were there. They both gave me a hug and asked how I was doing. Then I noticed the desert dish in Emmett's hand, with a piece of my apple pie on it.

"Hey! Is that the pie I made?"

Trying to talk with his mouth full of pie, Emmett answered, "You made this pie? Damn, Bella! You're in the wrong business. This is the best pie I've ever eaten!"

Esme spoke up, "I tried to stop him, Bella. But he was too quick for me this time."

"Wha?" Emmett asked, feeding himself another mouthful of pie. "I always eat my desert first. It's the best part."

Esme shook her head and laughed. "I swear I raised him with better manners than that."

Emmett placed his now empty dish in the sink and asked Edward, "Did you show her the basement yet?"

"I showed her the whole house," he answered.

"Sweet, isn't it?" Emmett asked, looking at me.

I laughed and shook my head yes. "See, Edward. At least Emmett can admit how awesome it is," I teased.

"I never said it wasn't awesome," he said, walking over to the counter and cutting a piece of pie.

Esme smacked his hand and said, "Not you too! At least one of my son's could have enough manners to wait until after dinner."

Edward laughed and plopped the cut piece onto a dish, replying, "Nope! It's my girlfriend's pie. I should have been the first one to eat a piece." He grabbed a fork and winked at me as he left the room. Emmett followed right behind him, booming in laughter.

Rosalie and I helped set the table, and she poured the drinks while I chopped up the rest of the vegetables for the salad. Carlisle came in carrying Bethy on his shoulders and lowered her down into one of the chairs before heading off to join the boys.

"Nana, can I show Izzybelwa my playroom now?" she asked, pleading with her puppy eyes and hands clasped together.

"Sure, sweetie. But you only have a little while before it's time to eat."

Jellybean grabbed my hand and took off running. I followed her into her playroom and sat down in the middle of the floor while she brought each of her dolls over to meet me. One of the dolls had blue bunny rabbits on it's pajamas, and it reminded me of the stuffed toy she let me borrow.

"This baby reminds me of your Blue Bunny. Did you get the candy I sent back with him?"

"Yes! It was soooo good too. Daddy let me eat them all," she answered.

"I'm glad you liked it. I wanted to thank you in person too. It was really sweet of you to loan him to me. He _really_ helped me a lot," I told her.

"I didn't want you to be lonely while you were sad," she explained.

"Well, thank you."

"Izzybelwa, Daddy said your mommy is in heaven now. Are you still sad?"

The hurt that I felt in my heart with her innocent question took me by surprise. "I was sad for a little while, but I'm okay now," I said.

The next words out of her mouth brought tears to my eyes. "If you get sad again, maybe I can ask my nana to do mommy things wif you. I don't have a mommy eeffer, but Nana always does those kinds of things wif me, and I don't get sad."

"Come here," I said with a shaky breath as I pulled her into my lap. "That's the most wonderful thing anyone has ever offered me, but I don't think we need to ask her to do that. I'm pretty grown up already, and I still have my daddy. I love him like you love your daddy. He still takes good care of me too. Sometimes, good daddies like that are all we need."

She nodded her head in agreement, and a throat cleared behind us. I turned us towards the door and saw Edward leaning against the frame. "Dinner's ready. Are you two ready to eat?"

We both hopped up from the floor and followed him down the stairs. When we were all seated, everyone started dishing out food onto their plate and passing things around. The table chatter continued through the whole meal. Everyone talking about whatever topics that came up. Emmett told a few jokes, and Jellybean 'tattletaled' on Carlisle for giving her M&Ms before dinner. Occasionally, Esme scolded one of the boys for inappropriate table manners, and everyone complimented her on her wonderful cooking. It was the first time I had been part of such a lively family meal, and I enjoyed every minute of it. My apple pie was served for dessert, and even Edward and Emmett ate another slice.

Rosalie said it was Edward's turn to clean up afterwards, so I offered to help him while everyone else retreated to the family room to watch the football game on TV. We carried all the dishes back into the kitchen, and Edward dealt with putting the leftovers away while I started rinsing the dishes and loading them into the dishwasher. When we were almost done, Edward stepped up behind me at the sink and wrapped his arms around me. I relaxed into the cradle of his arms, and he covered my neck with soft, open-mouthed kisses. Once he was satisfied with the amount of kisses he delivered, he pulled away and said, "Emmett's probably going to suggest hanging out downstairs in a minute. That's what we usually do after dinner is cleaned up, but we need to leave soon so we can have that talk with Bethy."

"I know that talk is important, but I'm gonna miss playing in the awesome basement," I fake whined.

"Next time…I promise. We'll play with Emmett next time," he teased back.

"Next time?" I questioned, raising a brow.

He looked a little unsure, rubbed the back of his neck, and said, "Umm, yeah. We do this every Sunday. If you're not busy…you're always included if you want to be."

His shyness was truly adorable. I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and said, "I'd love for there to be lots of next times."

He smiled and replied, "Good."

Just as predicted, Emmett came in challenging us to a game of pool downstairs. Edward explained what our plans were, and Emmett agreed to 'next time'. Edward walked me into the den to say goodbye to everyone. I thanked them for having me over, and they made me promise to join them for Thanksgiving when they found out I didn't have any plans. Apparently, Jasper was considered part of their family and had invited Alice to come too. Edward gave his mom a kiss and told Carlisle he would see him at work tomorrow. Jellybean gave everyone a hug and bounced out to the car behind us.

Edward must have been nervous, or just not paying attention, because Jellybean ended up sitting at the table with an ice cream sundae that was almost bigger than her head. I had a small cup of double chocolate, and Edward had a strawberry milkshake.

He glanced at me, then looked at Bethy and cleared his throat before beginning, "Bethy, honey…Bella and I wanted to talk to you about something. We kind of have some news to tell, and we wanted to know how you felt about it."

She sat there, silently listening and waiting for the big news.

Edward cleared his throat again and continued, "Well…you like Bella, don't you?"

Jellybean nodded her head up and down several times with a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth.

"Okay, well…do you know what it means to be a boyfriend and girlfriend?" he asked.

"Uhuh, it means you have to hold hands and you can kiss her anytime you want," she explained.

I giggled and Edward asked her how she knew that.

"From school. Bobby Samms wanted me to be his girlfwiend, but he always has sweaty hands so I told him no."

Edward's eyes just about popped out of his head, and I couldn't stop myself from falling into a fit of giggles. Edward glared at me and went back to his conversation with Bethy. "Okay. Well, most little boys have sweaty hands like that Bobby what's his name, so you just better hold off on getting a boyfriend anytime soon. Understand?"

"Okay, Daddy," she agreed.

He shook away whatever unpleasant thought he had in his head and said, "Okay, good. But what I wanted to ask you is…how would you feel if I asked Isabella to be my girlfriend?"

"That would be soooo good, Daddy. Did you already ask her?"

"Umm, yeah. I guess I did," he answered with a hint of embarrassment on his cheeks.

Jellybean sat there staring at him with expectant eyes. "So…"

"So…what?" he wondered.

"Don't you want to kiss her now?" she asked.

He put his hand to his forehead, covering half his face as he ducked down to sip on his milkshake and eventually choking on his uncontained chuckles.

"Daaaddddyyy…you have to if you want her to be your girlfwiend." she insisted.

So, Edward tucked his hand under my chin and pulled me to him. "Come here, baby," he murmured as he placed the softest, sweetest kiss on my lips. We pulled away and smiled at each other.

Bethy clapped her hands and told me, "You're lucky to be my daddy's girlfwiend, Izzybelwa. He gives the bestest kisses!"

"Yes, he does," I said, trying on my own blushing cheeks.

Bethy ate a few more bites of her enormous frozen treat while Edward and I finished ours. Edward held Bethy in one arm and held my hand with his other as we walked to the car. During the whole ride home I was giddy with happiness. I think Edward was too, aside from his ramblings about keeping an eye on Bethy's school and finding out who Bobby what's his name's parents were. Who would have thought the approval of a three year old child could mean so much. I felt like we were finally free to be a couple. With this one big hurdle out of the way, my heart swelled with anticipation of all the great possibilities ahead of us.

In front of my apartment, Edward kissed me goodbye, and Bethy giggled from the backseat. I blew her a kiss when I got out of the car, and she giggled again. _Silly girl_.

The next day at lunch, I trotted off to the _Times_ to turn in my article and pick up my last assignment. Kate was due to return from maternity leave, so my temporary job was coming to an end with my next assignment, which happened to be a new bowling alley and sports bar. A big smile crossed my face when I thought about inviting the whole gang along as sort of a last hurrah.

On my way out, I was stopped by my boss and shockingly offered a permanent position at the _Times_. He sensed my surprise and invited me into his office to discuss the details of the job. It turned out that one of their staff journalists were retiring and it was in a department similar to what I'd been doing. It was a full time position, with descent pay, in the community events section. Instead of writing reviews on places to go, I would be reporting news on things that happened in the community. My boss said everyone was impressed with the work I'd been turning in, and they wanted to offer me the job before they hired outside of the paper. He told me to think it over, but he needed an answer when I came back next week to turn in my final article.

This should have been great news. A couple of months ago I would have jumped on the offer immediately, but now I wasn't so sure. I liked my job at the Cullen Corporation. Even though it had nothing to do with my chosen career path, Edward was there. We had finally fallen into a regular routine that I was enjoying. I got to see him every day, and spent most of my lunch hours with him. Rosalie had also become a good friend of mine, and she was easy to work with. I guess the job had become comfortable for me. And when things are comfortable, change is scary.

For some reason, I didn't tell anyone about the job offer until I got home that night. Alice was so excited for me, and she was having a hard time understanding why I needed time to think about it. She helped me write a list of pros and cons, which ended up being weighted about the same on each side. Alice got frustrated with me and offered one last piece of advice before going to bed.

"Bella, you can't put off the career of your dreams just to hang out with the guy of your dreams on your lunch breaks. This is the opportunity you've been waiting for. Take a chance and find out if it's everything you wanted it to be. You don't have to work at the Cullen Corporation to keep a good relationship with Edward."

"You're right, Alice. I know you are. I'll make a decision soon," I guaranteed.

Tuesday's lunch with Edward was…quiet. I was so lost in thought about my job situation, I couldn't maintain a conversation with him. I still didn't want to tell him about the offer, and eventually he stopped trying to talk to me.

That evening, after my literacy group meeting, Jasper found me sitting in the dark on the couch. I had such a headache from thinking too much that the lights made it worse.

"Bella? What are you doing sitting in the dark? Are you feeling alright?" Jasper asked.

"No. I have a headache. The _Times_ offered me a permanent staff position and I have less than a week to give them my answer," I replied.

"Well, a great job offer is usually a good thing, right? What's the problem?"

"The problem is…I don't know what the problem is! Part of me wants to take the job, and part of me wants to stay where I'm at." I exclaimed.

Jasper sat down beside me and said, "Let me guess. The part of you that wants to take the job is your career side. The part of you that wants to stay where you're at is the 'Edward's girlfriend' side."

I laughed, but agreed. "So which side do I listen to?"

"Is it a job offer or a marriage proposal?" he asked, eyebrows quirked.

"Fine. I get it." I huffed.

"Have you talked to Edward about it?"

"Not yet. I can't help feeling like I'll be letting him down. Like it's some sort of betrayal to choose another company over his. And practically his whole family works there. It makes it so much more personal." I tried to explain.

"Okay. Let me tell you a story. Have you ever heard how Edward and I became friends?"

"Only that you met in college. Is there more?" I asked.

"A little bit more," he said, leaning forward to rest his arms on his knees. "We did meet in college. We had a few business classes together, but we didn't really hang out or anything. Near the beginning of my senior year, my parents were killed in a plane crash. They were on their way to visit me at college, and when I got the news…I just stopped functioning. They were the only family I had, and I was lost without them. There were no bodies recovered at the crash site, so there was no need to have a funeral. For three weeks I lived on boxed food and water in my dorm room. I didn't clean, shower, talk to anyone, or leave the room."

I gasped, feeling immense sorrow for what Jasper had gone through. "I'm so sorry, Jasper. I can't even imagine…That must have been devastating for you."

"It was. I finally decided to clean myself up and get on with life. My parents had a small ranch in Texas. It was paid for, but not worth a lot since property in that area is so cheap. I didn't think I could focus enough to finish school, so I figured I would go live there and get a job as a laborer somewhere close by. When I went down to withdraw from my classes, I found out it was too late to get a refund for that semester. Edward was coming out of a meeting with his advisor and overheard my problem. He took me back to my dorm room, helped me clean it up, and convinced me not to drop out. He helped me make up for the three weeks of classes I had missed, offering me his notes on the classes we shared and helping me study the others. I knew what he was going through at the time. Everyone around campus knew Tanya was pregnant and cheating on him. Everyone also knew how much shit he did for her to try and keep her around. Hell, probably half the time he spent at my dorm was so Tanya could invite 'company' over. Then after Bethy was born, I watched him struggle with raising a new born baby and passing all of his classes. And he still had time to help his friends out. I knew that if he could do all that, then I could push myself to graduate instead of wasting away in mourning. I honestly wouldn't have survived college, and who knows what would have happened to me if he hadn't helped me like he did. Every time he went home for the holidays or school breaks, he took me with him."

I nodded when he paused to consider what he was going to say next. Then he continued, "The point is…I owed Edward everything for helping me finish school and even for including me in his family. When we graduated, we both stayed with his parents until we found our own apartments. Edward offered me a job at the Cullen Corporation to help me get on my feet. It was a hell of a generous offer too. But it wasn't what I wanted to do with my life." Jasper shrugged and looked straight into my eyes as he finished by saying, "Instead, he loaned me two hundred thousand dollars to get New Moon started."

I knew my eyes were as big as saucers, but damn…that's a lot of money! Jasper chuckled at my expression and said, "I finally paid him back after I sold my parents' place last year. Edward's still my best friend, and the Cullens will always be my family."

I nodded, understanding what he was trying to tell me. "Edward would want me to do what makes me happy, not work at his company because I feel somehow obligated," I said, more to myself than to Jasper.

Jasper squeezed my shoulder before he stood up to leave. "Talk to Edward. You'll feel better about your decision then."

The next day at lunch I took Jasper's advice and told Edward about my job offer.

"That's awesome, baby! I'm so proud of you. When do you start?" he exclaimed, picking me up and twirling me around.

At first I was a little saddened by his enthusiasm for me to get another job. I thought maybe he would feel a little disappointed about not seeing each other every day, like I was. But I quickly realized he was simply happy for _me_, and not thinking about himself at all.

"I don't know. I haven't exactly accepted the offer yet," I admitted.

Edward looked puzzled and asked, "What? Why not? When did you find out about the offer?"

I bit my lip nervously and answered, "I found out about it on Monday, and I've been going crazy all week trying to decide what to do. It is a great offer, but I really do like it here too. I'm not sure I want to miss out on seeing each other all day at work. Plus, it even pays a little bit less than I'm making now…"

"Bella, stop. You know you don't want to work here forever. You want to write. This is an incredible opportunity for you, even with a small pay cut. You have to take it," he said, pulling me into a hug that ended with a kiss. "Besides, if you find out that you don't like it, I think I have enough pull around here to get your job back," he said with a wink. So, with that kind of encouragement, I made my decision.

"I guess that means I need to put my two weeks notice in, huh?"

He looked a little shocked at first, but smiled and said, "Wow. A little overeager to leave me now?"

"Well, you are the one who encouraged me to take the job. Besides, I want you to have enough time to find a replacement," I explained.

"I was just teasing. I want you to be happy. Not that anyone could ever take your place, but I'll give human resources a call to let them know I need a new assistant," he paused, touching his finger to his lip like he was contemplating. "If you want to thank me for the encouragement…"

I rubbed across his chest, put on my sexy voice and asked, "What would you like me to do for you, Mr. Cullen?"

He groaned, rested his forehead against mine, and said in an even sexier voice, "You're a dirty little girl, Isabella. What _I_ was going to say was…go home and bake me a pie, woman!" He chuckled and swatted my ass before stepping away.

"Of all the things I would have offered you, that's what you're asking for?"

He bit his bottom lip and started to leave the conference room. Looking over his shoulder, he said, "Your pie tastes really good. I can't help it if I want more."

"You're driving me crazy. You know that, right?" I said, brushing past him on my way back to my desk.

His arm snaked around me, pulling me securely against his chest as his husky voice vibrated behind me ear, "Go home. Bake me a pie. Save it for me until this weekend. Then I'll show my dirty little girl just how good her pie really tastes." He licked up the side of my neck and kissed just below my ear before walking away and leaving me dazed.

When I got home, I made a sweet potato casserole to take to Thanksgiving dinner the next day and _two_ caramel apple pies. One for Thanksgiving, and one for Edward. That night I had a million strange dreams involving apple pies…


	23. Ch23 Thanksgiving

Chapter 23

BPOV

The culprit in my inability to sleep past six thirty on Thanksgiving morning was my natural excitement for the holiday. For as far back as I could remember, it had been my favorite day of the year. It kicked off the beginning of the holiday season, celebrated with family, friends, traditions, and good food. There were entire recipe books dedicated to dishes that were created for that one special dinner. My sweet potato casserole was one of those dishes.

Luckily, I had gone to bed pretty early the night before, so I wasn't tired when I gave up the comfort of my warm bed to start a pot of coffee. Just as the last few drops fell into the pot, Alice came stumbling down the hall, wrapped in the comforter from her bed.

"Morning, Sunshine! Happy Thanksgiving!" I called from the kitchen as I poured a cup of coffee.

"Mhmm, you too. Still can't sleep in on Thanksgiving?" Alice responded as she flopped down on the couch.

"Nope. Want a cup of coffee?" I asked, already pouring her one.

"Please. It's freezing in here this morning," she whined.

"I like it. It feels more like the holidays than it would if it was warm," I added while handing her a cup and taking up a spot on the couch beside her.

She took a few sips from her cup and said, "Yeah, I guess you're right. Are you still planning on riding over with me and Jasper?"

"If that's okay with you two. Edward says that he and Bethy usually head over there right after they wake up. Apparently, Thanksgiving is an all day affair at the Cullen house."

"That's what Jasper says too. He doesn't go over quite that early, but early enough. I'm really looking forward to today. The Cullens are the only type of family Jasper has, and I think this is the holiday he enjoys spending with them the most. It feels nice to be included in that. Are you nervous about meeting the rest of Edward's family? I mean…now that you are officially his girlfriend in front of everyone, it's got to add a little bit of pressure," she commented.

"I'm not exactly nervous. I guess I'm kind of excited. It feels good to be able to act freely about our relationship. I am glad that you're gonna be there too though. That way I have some family backup. We've spent this day together since we've been five years old. It wouldn't be the same without you," I told her.

Alice reached over and gave me a tight hug. "Even when we're old ladies with grandkids running around, we'll still spend this holiday together!" she promised.

"You and Jasper planning grandkids already?" I teased.

"Ha! No, you and Edward will probably beat us to that, but we do plan on spending the rest of forever together," she proclaims with a big smile on her face.

"Really? You guys are that serious? I mean, I know you love each other like crazy, but have you really talked about the future like that with each other?" I asked.

"Sure. I know we haven't been together that long, but we both know we've found the one we've been looking for in each other. He hasn't proposed or anything, but we don't need wedding rings to tie us to each other forever. Maybe one day, but for now…it's enough just to know we're it for each other."

"Wow, Ali. I'm really happy for you. For both of you. Jasper's a great guy, and you two are perfect for each other," I commented, a little awestruck by her confidence. It's a powerful thing to be so sure of something or someone.

I finished my coffee and went to my room to pick out something nice to wear for the occasion. I was sure all of the Cullens would look nothing less than the picture of perfection. Normally, I would have worn jeans and a nice sweater, but I wanted to blend in as well as I could so I chose a nice sweater dress with leggings.

Jasper arrived around ten o'clock. After adding a few final touches to our appearance, Alice and I were ready to go.

The drive seemed to take longer than it did the first time I visited. Even though I told Alice I wasn't nervous, by the time we got there I could swear there were butterflies in my stomach.

Jasper carried my apple pie, along with three dozen rolls from his restaurant. Alice had her hands full with a wonderful fruit salad she had thrown together this morning, and I followed behind them with my sweet potato casserole.

Jasper opened up the door and walked right in without knocking. Alice and I followed him into the kitchen where Esme, Rosalie, and Edward greeted us. We added our food to the table that already held about fifteen different side dishes.

"Come on in. Welcome, everyone!" Esme called from the stove, stirring a pot of gravy as she checked on the Turkey in the oven.

"Hey, guys!" Rosalie said with a small wave as she stood at the counter, drizzling melted butter over her broccoli casserole.

"Glad you guys are here," Edward said. He greeted Jasper with a half man hug and a thump on the back before giving Alice a much nicer hug. He must have saved my hug for last because he didn't completely let go after it was over.

"Hey, baby! Happy Thanksgiving," he said as he snuggled into my neck.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Edward," I replied.

I felt him inhale deeply before he whispered, "You look beautiful, and you always smell so damn good."

My breathing hitched from just the sound of his voice, and the touch of hot air against my cool neck sent shivers through my body. He pulled back enough to find my lips with his and delivered one hell of a hot kiss. Not inappropriately hot, but hot enough to make me clench the fabric of his shirt to hold myself up. I felt my face heat with a blush when I noticed Esme caught the display before she turned back toward the stove with a hint of a smile on her face.

Edward chuckled, releasing me from our embrace, but keeping one arm around my waist. "Do you need any more help, Mom?" he asked Esme.

"I don't think so, dear. Everything's coming along nicely. Why don't you go see what your father and brother are up to?" she answered.

"Ah, permission to escape the kitchen," he joked. "I'm gonna go let Dad and Emmett know you guys are here. Bethy's in the family room watching the parade if you want to say hi." He gave me a quick kiss and finally let me go.

Jasper squeezed Alice's hand and followed Edward.

"So…you don't need any help with any thing?" I asked, just to make sure there wasn't something I could do.

"Bella's great in the kitchen, and I can help too. Tell us what we can do," Alice chimed in.

"Oh, girls. Thank you, but honestly…most everything is done. Rose is just finishing up her dish, then we're finished for now. I'm not planning to heat everything until everyone else is here, which shouldn't be too much longer. Go on and say hi to Bethy while we're waiting," Esme explained.

"Got it…get out of the kitchen! Come on, Bella!" Alice teased, grabbing my hand and pulling me with her.

As we were crossing the foyer to get to the family room, I noticed several additions to the décor. The glass table held a warming pot filled with spiced apple cider with orange slices floating in it. There was a circle of glass mugs surrounding it. A huge holiday wreath hung on the wall above it. On either side of the table were tall floor vases filled with an arrangement of flowers in fall colors.

The electric fireplace in the living room was set on low, fueling small flames of dancing orange fire. There were displays of decorative candles adorning different surfaces throughout the room. A beautiful holiday centerpiece covered the middle of the coffee table, and a crystal dish of candied nuts sat on each end table. The smell of spiced apples drifted through the air while the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade marched by on the television screen.

The sweetest thing in the room lie sleeping on the sofa. She was wearing a burgundy corduroy jumper dress over a long sleeve, cream colored shirt with tiny fall leaves scattered around on it. Her little legs were covered in cream colored tights, ending with a tiny pair of tan boots that had the fur edging around top. Her curly golden locks were pulled up on the sides and joined together at the back of her head by a ribbon covered barrette.

As carefully as I could, I tried to slide into the space beside her without waking her up. It was a futile effort because once the couch cushions moved, her eyes fluttered open and a giant smile broke out on her face.

"Izzybelwa! Happy Fanksgiving!" she shouted. "Happy Fanksgiving, Alwice," she added when she spotted her at the other end of the couch.

"You too, Jellybean," I said. "Were you watching the parade? Alice and I watch this same parade every year with each other. Want to finish watching it with us?"

She nodded her head and sat up beside me.

"Remember how we use to wish we could really go see it when we were little? Every year, as soon as it was over, we would beg my parents to take us in person for the next one," Alice laughed. "I can't believe this is our first year in New York and we're still watching it on TV."

"I hadn't even thought about it until now. I guess it's just become such a tradition to watch it from home, I didn't even think about actually going to watch it from the street," I admitted.

Edward spoke up from behind us to say, "We could all go next year if you want. Mom has reserved seats in front of Macy's every year, but she usually gives them away to some family with young kids. I think our parents took me and Emmett twice when we were younger. We weren't really that into it though. I just remember it being really cold and long."

"Except that one year the Spiderman balloon got tangled around a street lamp and almost took out Charlie Brown. That was awesome!" Emmett exclaimed, entering the room.

Jasper laughed behind him and added, "Only you would derive pleasure from a near cartoon disaster."

"What? That stuff was funny. I think little Ed was the only one actually panicking over it," Emmett joked.

Edward sat down beside me and explained to the room, "Dude, Charlie Brown was always getting dumped on, and Spidey was suppose to be a good guy!"

"That makes sense," Alice agreed.

Everyone laughed, and Bethy crawled across my lap to sit in Edward's. She sat facing him and said, "Daddy, I fell asweep. You should have woked me up when Izzybelwa got here, Daddy!" She started out with her hands on her hips and ended the scolding by pointing a finger in his face.

Edward bit her finger playfully and replied, "It's not nice to point in someone's face, 'Miss Sassy Pants'."

She snatched her finger back and giggled. "It's not nice to bite people either," she retorted.

Edward laughed and said, "Okay. Kiss and make up?"

Bethy giggled and peppered his entire face with kisses, making sure to make a lip smacking sound with each one while Edward did the same to her.

"Uh oh, I see Santa Claus. It must be the end of the parade," Alice announced.

We all watched the parade end and turned the TV off just as the doorbell rang. Everyone headed toward the door to greet the new arrivals. I was being pulled along by Jellybean. Carlisle answered the door and wrapped his sister in a hug before shaking hands with her husband and hugging the supermodel looking woman with them. He took what looked like a couple of pies from them and ushered them further into the house.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Aunt Carmen and Uncle Eli. It's good to see you again," Emmett greeted them with a hug before picking up the other guest and spinning her around once. "It's been a long time, Cuz."

She laughed and slapped him across the chest. "For my own safety, I can only handle coming to visit once a year with the way you man handle me!"

While they were teasing with each other, Jellybean pulled me towards her aunt and introduced me, "Auntie Carmen, this is my fwiend, Izzybelwa, and Daddy can kiss her whenever he wants to cuz she's his girlfwiend now!"

I blushed at her cute, but awkward introduction and Edward laughed before cutting in with his own introductions. "Aunt Carmen and Uncle Eli, this is my girlfriend, Bella."

I shook their hands and said, "Nice to meet you."

Then Aunt Carmen turned back to Bethy and whispered loudly, "I think I'll have to see this kissing before I believe your daddy has a girlfriend." Bethy giggled. Carmen winked at me, and Edward turned a little flush from the teasing.

"We just got here, and already you're embarrassing the young ones," Eli joked.

Edward shook his head and pulled his cousin in for a tight hug. "I'm glad you made it this year," he told her.

She squeezed him back and said, "Me too. I've missed you!"

Then Edward grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to him, wrapping his arm around my waist and saying, "Bella, I'd like to introduce you to my cousin Irena. Irena, this is my girlfriend, Bella."

I reached out to shake her hand, but she ignored it and wrapped her arms around me for a hug instead. "It's so good to meet you, Bella," she said.

"It's nice to meet you too." I replied while she released me from the friendly hug.

Irena picked up Bethy and hugged her. "Whoa…look how big you've gotten! I almost didn't recognize you, Miss Bethy."

"I'm almost four," Bethy proudly stated.

Jasper greeted everyone and introduced Alice before we all flowed into the kitchen where Esme and Rosalie joined the greetings.

I noticed that all the men quickly left the kitchen and headed elsewhere while the rest of us helped to get dishes heated and dinner ready. Once everything was carried into the dining room and laid out on the two buffet servers, everyone was called in to eat.

The dining table had been expanded since my Sunday dinner there. What once was a seating for eight, had become a table for twelve. There was a beautiful gold organza runner on top of the white linen tablecloth. A gorgeous holiday centerpiece and tapered candles graced the table. Each place setting consisted of gold rimmed, white china plates on gold chargers, cloth napkins with decorative rings, gold flatware, and crystal tumblers. There were even tiny individual salt and pepper shakers for each guest.

Everyone served themselves buffet style and sat down to eat. Once again, conversation passed back and forth around the table. Everything was delicious and the food was raved over by everyone.

Most of the talk consisted of the family catching each other up on their lives. I learned that Eli was a brilliant surgeon, but now worked as a medical consultant on difficult cases. That was why he traveled so frequently, following whatever cases he was needed for. Carmen was a stay at home wife, but also worked with many charity organizations like Esme did. I found out Irena actually was a supermodel. She was constantly traveling the world for photo shoots and fashion shows. She had an apartment in California and one in London.

I was a little surprised when Carlisle asked me if I was looking forward to my new job. For one, I didn't know Edward had told everyone already. Secondly, I didn't know how to respond because I hadn't even accepted the job yet. I was planning to meet with my boss on Monday when I turned in my final entertainment article. I started to explain that I was looking forward to it when Bethy caught on to the fact that I wasn't going to work at the Cullen Corporation anymore.

"Izzybelwa, you're not going to work for my daddy anymore?" she asked. Before I even answered, she turned to Edward and asked, "Are you sad about that, Daddy?"

He chuckled and answered, "I'm sure I'll miss having her there, but her new job will be much more fun for her, so I'm happy about that."

She looked a little panicked and asked, "But…she's still going to be your girlfwiend…right?"

He smiled and everyone else laughed. "Yes, she's still going to be my girlfriend," he answered, causing her to smile and nod her head.

"Irena was Edward's first girlfriend! Or maybe I should say…his first wife," Emmett teased.

Edward quickly rebuffed, "Not like that! We were five, and you made me do it because you said I wasn't old enough to be the preacher."

Irena laughed and looked at me when she explained, "I was an only child, so these two were more like brothers than cousins to me. They always wanted me to play 'boy stuff' with them. But before I agreed, I always made them play something girly with me. My favorite thing to do was have a pretend wedding. Emmett wouldn't play any part except for the minister, so Edward always got stuck being my husband."

Carlisle laughed and added, "It took Emmett a lot longer than Edward to figure out that girls didn't have cooties."

"Hey! Some girls do have cooties," Emmett countered, and Rosalie slapped him in the back of the head while everyone else laughed.

After dinner everyone helped carry everything back into the kitchen. The 'kids' volunteered to clean up while Carlisle and Esme visited with Carmen and Eli in the family room.

Desserts were taken into the dining room and lined up on the buffet table for people to grab whenever they wanted. Once that was done, the guys watched the football game in the family room. Esme, Carmen, and Irena went into the sitting room to talk. Alice, Rosalie, and I took the huge stack of sales ads to the kitchen table to look through them. Bethy split her time going back and forth between the three rooms.

Sales papers were spread all across the table, and Bethy was sitting in my lap, looking at a toy advertisement, when Edward came in to get a drink. He walked over to us first and kissed us both on the head.

"Finding anything good?" he asked.

"Jellybean found a couple of things she wants to ask Santa Claus for. I'm just waiting for Alice to map out our route for tomorrow," I answered.

"Don't tell me you two are the type to go out ridiculously early chasing after crazy sales all over town," he commented.

"Every year!" Alice announced.

"This year Rosalie's going with us too," I added.

"No, baby. Don't go. You'll get trampled out there. It's a madhouse. People die trying to get a laptop for fifty dollars," he mockingly pleaded.

I giggled and answered, "I don't usually buy anything, but someone has to make sure Alice doesn't drain her entire bank account. Besides, I think it's fun. It's kind of like a race to find the hidden treasure, and the sales ads are the map. Sometimes you even get bags of free gifts at some of the stores. Sure you don't want to come?"

"Sounds tempting, but I'll be up at the crack of dawn with Dad and Em, dragging down boxes of Christmas decorations out of the attic and hanging the outside lights for Mom. But buy me something really cheap while you're out," he said, bending over to kiss me before he went back to the game.

I took Bethy with me to visit with Edward's family in the sitting room while Alice and Rosalie finished organizing the ads in order of importance. Irena requested Bethy to come sit by her and tell her all about her favorite things. Esme and I were talking to Carmen about the literacy foundation when Edward came to find me.

I instinctually reached my hand up for him before I saw him or heard him. I just felt his presence. It was weird. It had been like that all day. Even when he wasn't in the same room as me, I felt this strange pull to where ever he was.

He took my hand and leaned down, delivering a soft kiss to my mouth, another one on my jaw, and a final one on my neck. "The game's almost over. I'm going to get some dessert. Want me to bring you anything?" he asked.

"I'll come with you," I said, standing up and following him to the dining room where Emmett, Jasper, Alice, and Rosalie were sampling all the desserts.

I noticed Edward eying the slice of caramel apple pie on Emmett's plate, and I giggled. "Don't worry. There's another whole pie waiting for you at my place," I assured him. He smirked and handed me a plate so I could fill it with desert for myself.

"Dude, you got her to bake a whole pie just for you? I want one," Emmett complained.

"Maybe I'll make you one for Christmas," I told Emmett. He pointed at me with his fork to let me know he was serious about wanting one.

Esme slipped in to tell Edward that Bethy was laying down in his bed to take a nap. Everyone joined together in the family room to see the end of the game, and Emmett reminded me that I owed him a game of pool.

Everyone, except the four 'adults', trampled down the stairs to the basement. Jasper went straight to the huge TV and set it on a music video channel. Emmett started racking the balls on the table. Rosalie grabbed a pool stick for herself and tossed one to me. Edward grabbed a stick and declared me on his team. Alice and Irena hopped up on a barstool, and Jasper went behind the bar to mix some drinks.

Emmett, Rosalie, and I barely had a chance to play since my man was so awesome at shooting pool. Once it was his turn, he basically ran the table.

"Aw, shit, dude. You could have at least given us a shot at winning. Showing off in front of your girl?" Emmett complained as Edward sunk the eight ball, winning the game.

"What did you want me to do, Em? Miss a shot on purpose?" Edward asked, shrugging his shoulders. "Jasper can take my place the next game. I need to catch up with Rena before she has to leave anyway."

"Fine, and after that I'll let you show off your skills on Guitar Hero. That'll impress Bella for sure," Emmett snickered, and Edward flipped him the middle finger as he passed his cue stick to Jasper.

Rosalie burst into laughter and explained, "Edward has some serious talent on a real guitar, but he can't play those plastic ones for shit."

Edward didn't argue. Instead he laughed along with Rosalie as he slid onto a barstool next to Irena who was also laughing.

Jasper was almost as good as Edward. It was a much closer game, but Jasper and I still won, causing Emmett to grumble and leave the table to set up the Guitar Hero. Rosalie giggled and trailed after him, offering comfort in her 'baby talk' voice.

I decided to join Edward and Irena while Jasper tried to teach Alice how to play pool. I had tried to teach her before, but she seemed to be enjoying Jaspers teaching technique better than mine.

Edward moved his legs apart, and I wedged myself in between them as he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me closer to give me a kiss.

"I'm so glad I got to come home this Thanksgiving. Anyone who makes Edward this happy is definitely worth meeting," Irena announced.

"Thanks," I said. "I'm really glad to spend Thanksgiving here too. Usually Alice and I spend it at her parents house with my dad, but he already had a big fishing trip planned with his friend this year. And since we already made two trips back there recently, we decided to stay in New York. I have to say, I'm glad we did. It's been an amazing day…spending it with all of you." I smiled at Irena and squeezed Edward's hand.

I was in the middle of listening to a band of 'remember when' stories between Irena and Edward when an 'almost four' little girl emerged from the stairway. Edward noticed the same time as I did and patted my leg so he could stand up.

I watched him saunter over to her and snatch her up, tossing her over his shoulder while she squealed with delight. He carried her over to one of the couches, flipping her over and dropping her onto the cushions. She was giggling, and he was smiling the happiest smile as he leaned close to her face and asked if she had a good nap.

"Yes, Daddy," she answered with a firm nod. With tiny hands on each side of his face, she pulled him in for one of her lip smacking kisses. The sight of them together made my heart melt. It was such a huge, pure love between them. If I didn't love them both so much, I would have felt guilty asking that little girl to share her daddy with me.

"Alright! We're ready to play," Emmett boomed. "Get over here and embarrass yourself, Ed!"

I laughed at Edward's attempt to refuse Emmett's challenge. Eventually he gave in and strapped on the toy guitar. Emmett already had the other guitar hanging from his shoulder. Everyone else gathered around the couches to watch.

They weren't lying when they said Edward sucked at Guitar Hero. I think he may have hit two or three notes during the whole song while Emmett chided him the whole time. At the end of the song, Edward handed the guitar off to Rosalie and picked Bethy off the couch, sitting down with her in his lap.

"Good job, Daddy," Bethy said, clapping her little hands in approval.

Edward chuckled out a "Thanks, baby. You're so sweet to Daddy."

After defeating everyone except Irena, Emmett gloated and taunted her into playing against him. She hopped up and winked at Edward as she took the guitar. Everyone cheered her on as she proceeded to steal Emmett's title as the champion. She high-fived Edward when she headed back to the couches.

"That's my girl!" Edward praised. "Hey, Emmett…you just got beat by a supermodel, man!" he teased, joining everyone else's ribbing.

"Whatever. Everyone knows models don't have anything else to do but sit around playing games all day," he replied childishly. "Okay…one last tradition before we go," he announced, slipping a DVD into the disk player.

Rosalie groaned, "Every year…_A Christmas Story_."

Emmett pointed a finger at her, saying, "Don't knock my favorite movie, Rose. Ralphie was the shit." She raised her hands in surrender as he landed himself on the couch beside her after dimming the lights.

I curled into Edward's side and relaxed to watch the movie. The early start to my day finally took it's toll as my eyes drifted closed early. The last thing I remembered seeing was a little boy with his tongue stuck to a pole. A bright flash of light filtered through my closed eyelids and I heard Emmett chuckle and ask, "You gonna need help carrying your girls to the car?"

I felt Edward's chest vibrate a response, "No, I'll wake Bella up soon."

Realizing they were talking about me, I pried my eyes open to see that half of Edward's chest was covered with a sleeping Bethy while I snuggled comfortably on the other half.

Edward gently rubbed up and down my back and asked, "You awake, baby?"

"No," I answered, settling further into his embrace.

He chuckled and replied, "Come on, baby. We need to get going. It's not that late, but four o'clock in the morning comes quick."

I groaned and pulled myself off him, yawning and stretching as I tried to wake up fully. "Sorry. I woke up too early this morning," I explained.

Everyone made their way back upstairs and said their goodbyes to each other. Esme sent us all home with a care package of leftovers. Edward dropped me off at my apartment with a soft and sweet kiss goodnight.

Four o'clock came way too early with Alice banging on my bedroom door. "Hurry up, Bella! We gotta go before the sales start! Up, up, up!" she yelled through my door.

I rolled out of bed, took a quick shower to wake myself up, and tossed on some warm and comfortable shopping clothes. Rosalie met us downstairs and we both rode with 'crazy driver' Alice to our first destination.

After hours of early morning shopping, we stopped for lunch. We talked and laughed about all the other crazy, early morning deal searchers and Rosalie thanked us over and over again for including her.

"This is the most fun I've ever had shopping…even if I had to get up at the butt crack of dawn to go! I haven't really had girlfriends to shop with since high school. We should do this more often…only not so early next time," Rosalie said.

"Definitely!" Alice chirped. "Shopping is a year round sport!"

I laughed, not sharing their enthusiasm for the 'sport', but happy to have such good friends to share it with.

We stopped at a few more stores before meeting up with the guys at the Cullen house. The car was loaded down with shopping bags by the time we pulled into the driveway.

Emmett was up on the roof, and Edward was standing on a ladder handing him a string of white Christmas lights. Carlisle was untangling more strands and handing them over to Jasper who was decorating several of the trees in the front yard. Alice and I helped Rosalie separate her bags and load them in Emmett's Jeep while the boys hung the last of the lights.

Inside the house, Esme and Bethy were busy hanging decorations on the huge Christmas tree. Rosalie, Alice, and I helped them finish up while we waited on the boys to get done. It felt so good to be part of such a complete and happy family. The beginning of the holiday season had begun, and I couldn't help but be excited to spend more of it with this family.

EPOV

Thanksgiving was the best one yet. My whole family was together, and Bella just completed the picture. I knew she would fit right in naturally, and she did it with ease. It just felt…_right_.

I already had the screensaver on my phone set with the picture Rosalie took of my two sleeping girls in my arms. It was now my favorite picture of the three of us, and also the first legitimate one taken by someone other than the paparazzi. I hoped it was the first of many more to come.

I was near the top of the ladder when I spotted the girls coming down the driveway. Emmett and I finished up as quickly as we could in order to join the girls inside.

"Hey, baby," I said to Bella, happy to have her in my arms again once we were inside. "Did you have fun shopping?"

"I did," she nodded and continued, "I bought you something cheap, just like you asked." She held out a closed fist and dropped a large gumball in my palm when I held my hand out. I laughed and popped it in my mouth before devouring her in a kiss.

Mom and Dad ordered take out from the Italian restaurant down the road and invited everyone to stay for dinner. We all helped to set up decorations while we waited for the food to arrive.

I watched Bella hold Bethy up so she could reach the taller branches to hang ornaments. I watched as she laughed with Alice and Rose while they told my mom about their shopping adventures. I saw her smile at my mom when she explained the significance of some of the older ornaments to her. I noticed her blush and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear when she caught me staring at her. I wondered if she could read the emotions on my face as I fell completely in love with her.

After dinner I asked Mom if she could watch Bethy for a little bit so I could give Bella a ride home. I remembered that we were all going out tomorrow night for Bella's last entertainment assignment and I wanted to spend a few moments alone with her before that. Even though we had spent a lot of time together lately, it wasn't 'alone' time. Luckily Mom agreed, and I drove towards Bella's with one thing in mind…apple pie.

I stopped at a small market on the way and Bella gave me a funny look when I told her I'd be right back. "We had dinner. Now we need dessert, and I like ice cream with my apple pie," I explained, and she smiled a crooked smile that matched my own.

When we got to her apartment, my first stop was the kitchen. "Now…where is this special apple pie you have for me?" I asked.

She giggled and opened a covered container, placing the pie in front of me on the counter. I got a dessert dish out of her cabinet and asked, "Wanna share it with me?"

She nodded, and I cut a large slice of the pie and placed it on the dish before tossing it into the microwave to warm it up. Bella watched silently as I added an equally large scoop of vanilla ice cream to the warmed dish. I could tell she was wondering what exactly I had planned for this piece of pie. She looked so cute while I could practically see the gears turning in her head.

"You look kind of tired. Maybe we should eat this dessert in your bed in case you fall asleep," I teased.

"Okay," she said, leading me to her bedroom.

Bella sat down on the bed and scooted toward the middle to make room for me. I took the spot beside her and tried a bite of the dessert. "Mmm…it's _really_ good. Want a bite?" I moaned.

She nodded her head again, her eyes now filled with lust. I dipped the spoon in, scooping out a small bite of pie and ice cream. I held the spoon to her lips, and she very slowly opened her mouth to let me slide it in. She closed her eyes and swallowed. When she opened them again, there was another spoonful waiting for her. Her mouth moved toward the spoon, but I playfully pulled it away and ate it myself.

"You can't have all of my dessert, sweet girl. We're sharing…remember?" I teased.

Before I could spoon another bite, she dipped two fingers in the dish, scooped out a bite, and put it in her mouth. I growled, turned on at watching her suck and lick her fingers clean, but not wanting her to take over my little game.

She gave me a shy yet sexy look and reached for the dish again. I let her scoop out another bite with her fingers, but this time I grabbed her wrist and sucked off the dessert myself. She let out a small moan and her other hand clenched the bedcovers.

I adjusted the pillows behind her and gently leaned her back against them before kissing her soft lips once. I used the spoon the gather another bite and offered it to her, 'accidentally' spilling it on her chest…just above the neckline of her shirt. I bent down and cleaned it off of her skin with my tongue, earning another small moan.

"Maybe we should take this off so it doesn't get dirty," I whispered against her chest as I started pulling the bottom of her shirt up. She sat up and helped discard her top, saying, "That's probably a good idea."

Once her shirt was tossed aside, I unsnapped her bra and removed that too. Then I started to unbutton her jeans. "These too," I said, pausing for her to give me permission. She nodded her head and raised her hips so I could slide them off after I unzipped them.

I fed her another bite with the spoon and took another bite for myself. She was starting to squirm on the bed, and I chuckled at her impatience. "Settle down, little one. I plan on fully enjoying this dessert," I told her, and she actually whined a little.

I twirled the spoon around in the dish, covering it with melted globs of ice cream. I ran the back of the spoon across her breasts, transferring the cream to her now hardened nipples. She shuddered from the chilly trail I drew on her skin. With hot breaths, soft kisses, and an eager tongue, I warmed her back up with my mouth. I sucked hungrily and nipped lightly on her nipples, removing every trace of the delicious cream.

She arched her back, pressing harder against my mouth. I pulled back a little and watched her chest rise and fall as she tried to control her breathing. Using my fingertips, I traced the outline of her torso, running them up and down her sides and circling her breast as I watched her skin come alive with tiny chill bumps and shivers.

She started running her fingers through my hair and gripped tightly to the strands near the back of my neck. I looked up at her face and saw so much want and need in her eyes, I almost lost it.

"Bella…I'm done taking it slow. I want you…but it won't be on a night when I have to get up and leave. Tonight…tonight just give me your body, and the next time I'm in your bed…I'll give you all of me. I promise."

She nodded her head and let out a shaky 'okay'. I crawled further up her body and took her bottom lip between mine. I slid my tongue across her mouth and massaged the side of her neck with my hand. I held her face tenderly and poured every emotion I had into our kiss. As much as I gave, she gave just as much back. She was perfect in every way. Most importantly, she was more than perfect for me.

"Do you trust me?" I asked, looking into her eyes after our kiss had ended.

"Completely," was her answer.

I buried my face in her neck, sucking and kissing a path just below her ear. "Close your eyes, love," I whispered. I grasped both her wrists with my hands and pulled them above her head, joining them together. "Don't move," I ordered and she nodded with her eyes still closed.

I let go of her hands and picked up the dessert dish again. I brought one more bite to her lips and said, "Have one more taste, love…before I finish the rest of my dessert."

She opened her mouth to take in my offering and swallowed it before I dove in to deliver another kiss to her sweet lips. My hands traveled all over her body, groping the fleshy mounds on her chest as my mouth made it's way further down. I licked across her collar bone, gently nipped at her breasts, devoured her nipples with my mouth, and kissed the underside of each breast.

I could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest and her breathing sped up. I picked up the dessert dish and tilted it above her body, spilling droplets of cooled cream and warm pie filling in a trail down her belly. She sucked in a deep breath as I licked her skin clean again.

I ran my tongue under the top edge of her lacy panties and slid my fingers over the material between her legs. "Well…these are already wet, but why don't we get rid of them anyway," I said against her skin as I tugged on each side of her underwear, pulling them down and tossing them to the floor.

I lifted her right foot to my mouth and kissed the arch, then the inside of her ankle before placing it back down on the bed where it left me enough room to crawl between her thighs. I licked the inside of one thigh and peppered the other one with open mouth kisses, leading me right to her delicious center.

After placing a few kisses around, but not directly on her clit, I dove my fingers into the dessert dish, gathered some of the still very warm pie filling, and smeared it across her already overheated center.

I heard her gasp, and I looked up at her beautiful face. Her eyes were still closed, her hands still locked above her head, and her mouth was hanging open slightly. "Good girl. Keep your eyes closed. Don't look…just feel."

Her head fell back more and she started to rock her hips, looking for some friction. "Edward…" she breathed huskily. "You're driving me crazy."

I covered her pussy with my mouth, sucking and licking the pie juices from every fold. I moaned in appreciation, knowing it was sending vibrations through her core. I pulled a thick, warm, apple slice from remnants left in the dish and slid it slowly inside her. She bucked her hips and groaned loudly as I munched down on the goodness between her legs. She started panting and squirming uncontrollably as my tongue delved inside, licking and twirling against her inner walls.

"Oh, god…oh, god…OHMYGOD!" she yelled.

I stopped long enough to stretch my arm up and say, "Hold my hand, baby. And open your eyes. I want you with me when you come."

She grabbed my hand faster than lightning and interlocked our fingers, gripping my hand tightly. When her eyes met mine, I licked the path from her opening to her clit and she screamed out in pleasure.

I grabbed her left thigh with my free hand and hitched it over my shoulder, holding it firmly in place as I continued to lick, suck, and teasingly bite at the sensitive area that had become my favorite dessert.

Her whole body started writhing with pleasure, and her grip on my hand was almost bone crushing. "Fuck! Edward….Oh. My. God…Edward!" she screamed. Her legs started shaking, and I picked up my pace to bring her over the edge.

With one final yell of my name, she came completely undone. I licked all the juices that flowed from her. It was a mixture of caramel, cream, apple spices, and Bella. So. Damn. Good.

She let go of my hand and her whole body went limp. I laid my head against her stomach and held her tight, waiting for her heart rate to settle down. After a few minutes, I kissed her belly and crawled up the bed to hold her body in my arms.

"You okay, baby?" I asked, kissing the top of her head and rubbing back while I held her.

"Can't…move…" she barely whispered.

"You don't need too, love. Just rest," I said.

A few minutes later, I noticed her breathing had evened out. Her body felt heavier and completely relaxed against my chest. I knew she was sleeping. I hated to wake her, but I had to go. I let her sleep for about another half hour before trying to wake her. As much as I hated leaving, I needed to pick up my daughter from my mother's house and take her home.

"Baby? I hate to wake you up, but I need to go, sweet girl." I brushed the hair away from her face and kissed her forehead. "Bella?" I tried again. "I need to go, baby."

She moaned quietly and lifted up enough for me to slide out from under her. I placed a pillow under her head and tilted her chin up to kiss her lips.

"I wish you could stay," she mumbled, barely opening her eyes.

"Me too, love. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"K." Her eyes fluttered closed again.

I chuckled, kissed her on her cheek, and said, "Thanks for dessert, love."


	24. Ch24 Bowling with Friends

Chapter 24

BPOV

It took me a few minutes to orient myself when I woke up. The illuminated numbers on my clock told me it was a little after ten. My room was still dark, which meant it was nighttime instead of morning. I started to stretch and felt all of my muscles protest in return. Then I remembered my early morning shopping extravaganza with Alice and Rosalie, rushing from store to store carrying armfuls of shopping bags, which belonged mostly to Alice.

My cell phone started ringing from somewhere beside me in the bed. I shuffled through the sheets to find it and answered in a gravely unused voice.

"Hello."

"Oh, wow. Did I wake you up? Were you still asleep, baby?"

"Edward?"

A gentle chuckle came through the line and he responded, "Yeah, it's me. I hope you don't have too many other guys ringing you late at night and calling you baby."

I giggled and answered, "No, sorry. I did just wake up…a few seconds before your call actually. I'm still trying to get my brain working."

"Well, I won't keep you long. You had a busy day and probably want to get some more rest. I just wanted to say goodnight before I turned in myself. I'm really sorry I had to leave tonight. Believe me, love…you have no idea how much I wanted to stay. I at least wanted to help you clean up before I left. I had planned on helping you change your sheets and wash your beautiful body off in the shower, but you were too exhausted to move. I tried not to make too much of a mess…and I think I got most of it with my tongue…but you should probably jump in the shower before you go back to sleep anyway."

The mention of his tongue made me squirm around in the sheets, finding a couple of sticky spots here and there. Finally my brain decided to kick in and replay the events that were the cause of the stickiness. Suddenly, I wished he was back in my bed with me.

"Yeah… I may have just found a couple of those sticky spots you missed, but it was soooo worth it," I moaned.

I heard him laughing quietly, and I could picture the smug look on his face. God, I missed him already.

"I do wish you could have stayed too," I admitted. "I wish we had all the time in the world to just be together like that. Ever wonder what it would be like if you were super rich and could just take off for months at a time? Traveling around the world at leisure. Spending days in a romantic city, but never leaving the bed. Loosing all sense of time and responsibility…just floating around doing whatever you felt like doing that day. That would be so…perfect."

"That does sound perfect. If that's something you'd really like to do, maybe we will someday. We could do it now, but if we were gone for months we'd have to include an extra little person on the trip. There's no way I could be away from Bethy for that long. If she were older…"

Then it hit me. I just asked _Edward Cullen _if he wondered what it was like to be rich! "Oh, god! I'm such an idiot! Of course you have enough money to do that. Shit, you probably _have_ done that. I don't know what I was thinking. I probably sound ridiculous right now," I rambled.

Edward laughed before he stopped me and said, "Bella, stop. You're not an idiot nor do you sound ridiculous. Like I said, it does sound perfect, and I haven't done that before. But I have to ask…how did you forget that I am sorta 'super rich' as you put it? You have seen my parents' house, flown in our private plane, and ridden in my other 'not so inexpensive' car. And did you forget where you currently still work? The _Cullen _Corporation…"

"Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but I guess you don't really act the way I assumed typical millionaires would act. Your whole family is so caring and down to earth, and just so…_real_. I know all of those things you mentioned are expensive, and I know you're really successful. You look amazing all the time…even when you're dressed down, but when I'm with you…when I look at you…I don't see money. I just see…you. A really great guy with a beautiful heart and a super sweet Jellybean daughter."

"Bella…you really are amazing. If I wasn't already…well, if you weren't already my girlfriend, I would do everything I could to make you mine."

"Thank you, Edward. I feel the same way about you," I said, pretty sure that he held back part of what he wanted to say, and pretty sure he knew what I meant too.

He cleared his throat and responded, "Okay. Well, I should probably let you get some more rest. Are you gonna take a shower before going back to bed?"

"Yes, I think I need one. I'll think of you while I'm in there, and I'll miss you."

"Grrrrr, I think I may need one now too. Possibly a cold one."

I smiled into the phone and said, "Sweet dreams, Edward." Before he answered, I quickly asked one more thing. "Hey, Edward? Just out of curiosity, how much did that necklace cost that you gave me the night of the ball?"

"Mmm, let's just say…a whole lot more than you would have wanted me to spend, but only a fraction of what you deserve. Goodnight, sweet angel."

"Goodnight, Edward."

In a happy daze, I rolled out of bed and stripped all the bedding to put it in the wash. I remade it with fresh sheets before I hopped in the shower. After a refreshing shower, I was too awake to go back to bed right away. I curled up on the couch and waited for the washing machine to stop so I could transfer everything to the dryer.

Reflecting on the past couple of days made me pretty emotional. I didn't realize a few tears had escaped until Alice walked in and asked me what was wrong.

Having no real explanation, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Edward loves me."

Alice's eyes were huge and her mouth hung open several seconds before she responded with, "He finally told you?"

I shook my head and explained, "No, he didn't have to. I can see it in his eyes. I feel it in his touch. I hear it in his voice…without the actual declaration."

A small frown appeared on her brow as she asked, "That's suppose to be a good thing, isn't it?"

"It is. These aren't exactly sad tears, Ali. I don't know why I'm so emotional right now. For the first time in my life, _everything_ is good. I really am happy. It's just weird how your whole world can change so fast. Even when it's a good thing…it's still…"

"Scary?" she answered for me.

"Maybe a little. Maybe a little unbelievable too. The first time I met Edward…God, remember? I pretty much just wanted to jump his bones. I wasn't any better than those tramps that actually did it."

"Hell no! You're a million times better than those bitches. You know it would have been much more than just sex to you. That's why you didn't throw yourself at him like those other girls. Besides, who wouldn't want to fuck him?" Alice shouted.

I raised both eyebrows and gave her a questioning look.

"What? I would never do anything with him. You know that. But I can admit that he is fuckably hot! And he's all yours, sweetheart. Be happy about that."

"Okay, I get it. He's fuckhot. He's mine. And yet I still haven't fucked him! Funny, huh?" I joked.

"Bellllaaaa!"

"I'm just joking, Alice. It'll happen. He told me last night that he's done taking it slow, so…." I tailed off.

"Oooooh! You guys are gonna do it soon! Yay, Bella!" Alice cheered, bouncing on the couch and clapping her hands.

"You're such a nut job! You're not suppose to be more excited than me," I teased.

"Of course I'm excited for you! It has been a really long time for you," she answered.

"Don't remind me. It has been a long time. And we've been waiting so long that I'm actually feeling kind of nervous about it. Now that I know it's probably gonna happen soon, I don't know if _I'm_ ready. I know you think I'm crazy, right? The thing is…when we first met, there was definitely that physical attraction, but I figured he was a bit of a player so I didn't really expect much more than a few nice dates and a little bit of fun. Once I got to know him, everything changed. Somewhere along the way, he became _my_ 'everything'. I fell so hard…I can't even imagine my life without him in it. He's perfect, Alice. I want to take that next step. I want to tell him how much I love him. But once I do…it'll make it real. If anything ever happened to us after that…I don't think I could survive it," I confessed.

"Okay, first of all, nobody's perfect, Bella. Not even Edward. Secondly, it is real already. And third, you _would_ survive. Although, I don't think you have to worry about that. I know the stuff with your mom and the shit with Mike left you with some issues, but you have to see it the way it really was. Your mom wasn't mentally healthy enough to make the right decisions, and Mike didn't love you, honey. He wouldn't have done those things if he did. The people who really love you aren't going to go away. Your dad's still here. I'm still here. My parents will always think of you as their other kid. And Edward…I don't think he's going anywhere either. All those things you feel for him…I'm pretty sure he would say the same things about you."

I wiped away the last crazy tear and said, "I can at least tell one person how I feel. I love you, Alice. Thanks for all the talks like this we've ever had and all the ones we'll probably have in the future."

"Aww, I love you too, B. Just don't freak out about stuff like this anymore. Things are going good between you two right now. Just let it all happen. You'll both know when it's right to take those next steps. You good now?"

I nodded and answered, "Yep, everything is good."

"Oooooh, you know what will make it even better?" she asked, jumping off the couch and running into the kitchen.

"Got any more pie left to go with this?" she asked, holding up a spoon and Edward's leftover tub of ice cream.

I burst into laughter while she looked at me like I lost my mind. "No, no. I've had enough pie for today. I think I'll just go on to bed now," I said.

Alice shrugged her shoulders and dug her spoon into the ice cream, responding with, "Suit yourself. This is really good."

I tossed my wet sheets into the dryer and went off to sleep peacefully in my clean bed, filling up with plenty of rest for the next night. I knew we would all be out late partying while I finished up my last assignment for the entertainment column. Edward had even reserved a limo for the night so no one would have to worry about staying sober.

Edward showed up in the limo to pick me, Alice, and Jasper up first. Then we rode out to grab Emmett and Rosalie. We made one more unexpected stop on our way to the bowling alley. Jacob and his girlfriend, Leah, climbed in. After greeting them both, I shot Edward a questioning look. He leaned in close and whispered, "Seemed like a good opportunity to try and redeem myself for the last time we met." I smiled and gave him an appreciative kiss.

The rest of the ride was filled with talk of how the night would go. We all agreed that we would have dinner in the restaurant/lounge above the bowling alley first. Dinner would be followed by a couple rounds of drinks before we started our game. It was declared by Emmett that no one was to go home sober since Edward had been so kind as to make sure we would all be driven home safely. As typical in any competitive type setting between these men, there was also some bragging, taunting, and talk of betting circulating in the car.

The bowling alley was huge. It had only been open for about a month so everything still looked brand new. The wide row of lanes still sparkled and shined. The tables and chairs arranged at the end of each lane were clean and colorful. The sports bar ran half the length of the building, opposite the bowling lanes. The guest services and shoe rental booth was near the entrance with racks of shiny bowling balls and a pro shop at the other end.

It was too early for the place to be packed full, but there were already a decent number of patrons hanging out at the bar. A little less than half the lanes were also occupied.

Following Emmett's advice, I went to meet with the manager first. The normal protocol was to inform the manager of my intended article after I was done, but I made an exception in case I couldn't conduct business with a clear head later.

Once our party was seated at a round table in the far corner of the restaurant, we ordered a few appetizers to sample while we decided on our meal. It wasn't a five star restaurant, but much more upscale than what you would expect.

After we enjoyed a pretty fantastic dinner, Emmett was quick to start off the party. "Leah, since you're the newest member of the pack tonight, you get to choose. Tequila or whiskey for our shots?" he asked.

She looked around the table to try and gauge our preference and answered, "Uh, their house special is something called Rum Balls. Does that sound okay?"

"Alright. Sounds good," he answered, raising his arm to get the waitress' attention. "But just to liven things up, we need to play a game to go along with it."

Edward groaned beside me and said, "Em, we don't _need_ to."

"I disagree. Games are fun!" Emmett argued, ordering a tray of shots from the waitress.

Everyone else shrugged indifference, and Alice agreed with Emmett. "I love games. Whatcha got in mind, Emmett?"

"Well…we don't have any cards, and somehow I think bouncing quarters or ping pong balls off the table might not be appreciated here," he answered with a frown, trying to think of an appropriate drinking game.

"How about 'I Never'?" Alice asked, looking around the table at everyone.

"That's perfect!" Emmett shouted. "Everyone knows how to play, right? We go around the table and each person says something they've never done. Anyone who _has_ done it before has to take a drink. It's simple, and we all get to learn something about each other."

Everyone agreed to play, and Edward buried his face in his hands. "Em, you know I hate this game," he complained. I remembered playing in college and it didn't seem like a terrible game. I wondered why Edward hated it so much.

"Emmett, one round of this game could equal up to seven shots for some people. That's not gonna work," Rosalie said, taking a quick glance at Edward. _Ohhh, I get it now. There must not be much he hasn't done. And it might lead to things you don't want to admit in front of your girlfriend._

"Fine," Emmett grumbled, passing the tray of shots around so everyone could grab one. "There's enough shots here for two each. After that you can just take a sip of whatever else you're drinking." Most of the guys had a bottle of beer, and the girls were sipping on mixed drinks.

"Leah, again, you have the honor of going first," Emmett said, nodding for her to start the game.

She looked a little nervous, biting her lip and tapping the table with her index finger while she thought of something to say. "Okay. Never have I ever been skinny dipping," she said shyly.

Everyone at the table laughed and took a sip. "That was a good one," Alice said.

Jake was up next. He sat there staring at the table in front of him for a minute when he shook his head and said, "This is harder than it sounds!"

We all laughed and Edward chuckled, looking slightly amused that someone else was having a problem with the game.

"Never have I ever had sex in an elevator," he blurted out.

Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie took a drink. Then it was my turn. So far, the statements had been of a sexual nature. I could probably list a bunch of those, but I felt Edward's knee bouncing nervously beside me and decided to go a different route.

"Never have I ever had a four legged pet," I stated.

Everyone at the table took a drink. Edward leaned over and kissed the side of my head. Emmett pouted and said, "No way, B. I'm buying you a hamster next week!"

I laughed and replied, "Thanks, but I'd rather not have a hamster."

"A cat? Dog? You name it, and I'll get it," he countered.

"No pets. I had enough trouble keeping my fish alive," I admitted.

"This is such a bad idea," Edward mumbled, trying to think of something for his turn. I rubbed my hand on his thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze, trying to let him know I was fine with the game.

"Never have I ever gone bungee jumping," he finally said.

Emmett, Rose, and Jake took a drink.

Jasper chuckled and leaned over to look at me. "Never have I ever played in a mud puddle on a date before."

I gasped and feigned shock, then pity. "Why, Jasper Whitlock, you just haven't been living life to it's fullest. Have you?"

Most people looked confused. Alice giggled and took a drink. Edward clinked his glass with mine and we both took a sip.

Alice sat straight up in her seat and declared, "Never have I ever seen Edward Cullen naked."

"Oh, god!" Edward mumbled, shaking his head.

Emmett pointed at him and said, "Hey, you have to drink too, bro. You know you've seen yourself naked!"

Edward laughed and took a drink along with Emmett, Jasper, Rose, and myself. I gave Rose a funny look, but almost choked on my drink when I noticed Leah taking a sip too. Edward's eyes were huge as saucers and he looked white as a ghost when everyone else noticed Leah too.

Leah looked completely apologetic and shrugged her shoulders, saying, "Sorry, Edward. I use to be a bartender at one of the clubs you guys played at. It was after one of the shows, and I accidentally walked in on you with some…well, it was an accident, but I did see..." She glanced at me and mouthed, "I'm really sorry."

Edward held up his hand and shook his head before saying, "No, it's not your fault. I'm the one who should be apologizing. I'm sorry you had to walk in on that. That…"

"That was in the past. It's all good now. Besides, there's nothing embarrassing about that body. Right, Bella?," Rose said, effectively interrupting Edward's guilty apology and ending the awkward tension with her teasing.

I gave her an appreciative smile and locked my fingers with Edward's. "Not at all," I said, stretching over to give him a little more than chaste kiss.

"I told you this game sucked," he chuckled when the kiss ended.

"Okay. Well, never have I ever…gone streaking through a neighborhood," Rose stated. Everyone took a drink and laughed. "Really? Everyone?" she asked. "Looks like I've got some catching up to do," she added.

"We can take care of that later if you want," Emmett suggested, wagging his eyebrows up and down. "Alright, my turn," he said, pulling himself back into the game. "Never have I ever had a threesome!"

Edward laughed out loud and said, "This game really sucks. Thanks, Em!" He saluted Emmett with his beer and took a big drink, apparently giving up on trying to be modest.

We all turned to look when Leah laughed at Jake taking a big drink as well. Edward smirked as Jake innocently said, "What? It's not as taboo as it sounds. Three consenting adults…fun had by all…Honestly, it's really not that scandalous."

"So, good way to close out the round, Emmett. Game's over. Let's go bowl," Rose said.

"What? Only one round?" Emmett started to whine. Rose gave him a glare and he relented. "Fine, but you three didn't contribute much. Mud puddles, bungee jumping, and no pets…come on! Dig a little deeper. Then we'll head on down to the lanes."

Jasper held up his hands in surrender and said, "Never have I ever had sex in a limo." Edward, Jake, Emmett, and Rose all took a drink.

"I think I've been exposed enough," Edward complained.

"No way, dude. You've gotta have something," Emmett demanded.

"Fine! Never have I ever watched porn with a partner," he spouted.

Everyone at the table looked shocked by his confession. Everyone at the table also raised their glass and took a drink. Edward laughed and cocked a questioning brow at me as I finished my sip. I gave him a guilty grin and ducked my head.

"Alright, you're last, Miss 'I never had a pet'. Give us a good one!" Emmett cheered.

I took a deep breath. Curious to see their response, I said, "Never have I ever had anal sex."

I already knew Alice's answer, but smiled when I noticed her trying to sneak her sip in. Rose lifted her glass to her mouth and Jasper, Jake, and Leah followed. Edward was biting his lip and staring at my face like he was trying to figure out some puzzle. When I blushed and met his eyes, he smiled bashfully before finishing off his beer. Emmett started to take a drink and paused to ask, "Wait. Giving or Receiving?"

"Either, Em," I laughed.

He guzzled the rest of his drink and smiled. "Dinner's on me! Ed, you can pay for bowling and the drinks during."

As everyone else started making their way back downstairs, Edward tugged on my arm and pulled me aside. "Please don't ever make me play that game again! I'm so sorry if any of it made you uncomfortable. I know some of the things I did in the past were…not my proudest moments. I don't like to think about that stuff anymore, and I don't want you…"

I cut him off with two fingers placed on his lips. "Shhh. Don't, Edward. Don't apologize for things in your past. I know who you are. Those things don't matter to me. _You_ are what matters to me." I moved my fingers and replaced them with my lips, giving him a kiss that spoke the words I couldn't yet. "But just so you know…the one thing 'never will I ever' is a threesome."

"The _one_ thing?" he asked with a smirk.

"Yeah," I answered, staring into his eyes. "I trust you with everything, but that part of you belongs to me now."

His face took on a serious expression, and his eyes clouded over with emotion. "Bella, there will never be anyone again but you," he promised. Everything I saw in the depth of his gaze told me he honestly meant it with his whole heart.

I almost said it. Those three words were on the tip of my tongue, ready to be heard when Emmett walked past us and clapped Edward on the back.

"Come on, you two. Let's rock and bowl!" he called over his shoulder.

We followed him down the stairs and realized the place was packed now. It was dark outside, so there wasn't any light coming in through the glass doors or window fronts. The main area and bar were very dimly lit, relying mostly on the soft glow of colorful signs, flat screen monitors broadcasting silenced sporting events, and illuminated electronic scoreboards and lanes.

There was music pumping through an overhead speaker system, and almost all of the lanes were full. Neatly dressed waiters and waitresses weaved through the tables taking orders for food and drinks from the bar.

We found the rest of our group selecting their balls from the rack near the corner.

"We already got two lanes set up for us. You guys just have to go over and get your shoes. We're on lanes 43 and 44," Jasper spoke loudly over the music.

Emmett, Edward, and I grabbed our shoes and met everyone back at the tables by our lanes. Alice was tying up her shoes, and Rose was ordering everyone a round of drinks.

"We put the girls on one lane and the guys next to them," Jake told Edward. "Is that good?"

He nodded and said, "Yeah, that's good. Thanks."

The first game we bowled was considered the warm up game by everyone. It was a much needed practice round because it had been a while since most of us had gone bowling. Leah had actually never been, so all of the guys, mostly Jake, were giving her tips and showing her how to handle the ball. Edward coached me some throughout the first game. I knew how to bowl; I just wasn't very good at it. Alice and Rose were the best bowlers on our team, and the guys were pretty evenly matched.

During the second game, drinks flowed more freely and everyone was loosening up and having a good time. The guys were joking around with one another and placing side bets. The girls were laughing and gossiping about their guys.

"Watch this," Rose said. "Emmett goes crazy when I scratch my nails down his back and whisper in his ear." She waited until it was his turn to bowl and walked up to him to 'wish him luck'. She gave him a hug, then reached under his shirt to scratch his back as she whispered something, probably naughty, in his ear. She wore an evil grin as she made her way back over to us.

Emmett took his stance, and we all giggled as he had to adjust himself a few times. The ball rolled down the isle, veering off to the left and only hit two pins. All the girls ended up in hysterics.

Alice watched for Jasper to stand up to take his turn and walked confidently over to him, kissing his neck while she gripped his ass with both hands. He actually ended up rolling a gutter ball. It was too much for us not to laugh.

"Okay, go! It's Jake's turn, Leah," Rose egged her on.

We all watched as she ran her tongue across the outer shell of his ear before biting down on his lobe while gripping the front of his shirt with her fist. She sat down beside Rose with a satisfied smirk on her face.

Jake stumbled and tossed his ball down the lane. It rode the edge all the way down and only took out one pin.

"Damn! You're good," Rose praised. "That boy could barely walk straight."

Leah laughed and looked at me. "Well, you're the only one left. What's Edward's thing?"

"His thing?" I asked.

"Yeah. All guys have a spot you touch or a thing you do that totally turns them on. Have you found his yet?"

"No. I mean, I guess I know stuff he likes. I don't know if it's his _thing_ or not." I admitted. "I'll try." I walked over to him before he had a chance to get up and straddled his lap.

"Whatcha doin', baby? Coming over to wish me luck?" he asked.

"Mmhmm." I ran my fingers through the back of his hair, gently scratching against his scalp. I bent forward and gave him a short kiss, nipping at his bottom lip. "Good luck, baby," I said. I could see he was definitely effected by the growing evidence in his pants as I hopped off his lap.

Edward walked over to pick up his ball, seating his fingers perfectly in the holes. He approached the lane, and all of our mouths hung open when he bowled a perfect strike. He turned around and smiled at me as he walked towards us.

"Thanks, baby. You must be my lucky charm!" he exclaimed, leaning down to give me a 'curl your toes' kind of kiss. He rubbed his thumb across my cheekbone and kissed me once more, very softly. He took a few steps backwards and said, "By the way, running your fingers through the back of my hair is definitely my thing. I just work a lot better under pressure than the other guys." With a sexy wink, he turned and walked away.

"Holy shit!" Alice squealed. "He knew what we were doing all along!"

The four of us howled with laughter, almost falling out of our seats. The rest of the guys looked at us like we were nutty, still completely clueless to what had happened.

Everyone took a break before the third game and ordered some snacks and more drinks from the bar. I think everyone was leaning towards the drunk side by the time we were ready to play again.

"Alright, last game. We need to wager something good on this one," Emmett declared.

"I got it! Why don't we pair our scores as couples and whoever wins gets the limo for the rest of the night, after everyone else has been dropped off," Jasper suggested.

All the guys agreed, and the girl's just went along with it. Emmett stumbled over to me and slung a heavy arm over my shoulders, almost knocking me down. Edward grabbed a hold of my waist to stop me from falling over.

"Damn, Em! Don't break her. Be careful with my girl," Edward told Emmett, giving me a kiss and leaving to take his turn on the lane.

"Belly, Bellerina, Izzybelwa, Bella, B," Emmett rambled, trying out different versions of my name while trying to right himself. "I'm gonna miss your job. We always have so much fun."

I laughed at him and replied, "It's not like we still can't get together and do stuff like this, Emmett. It doesn't have to be a work assignment!"

He snorted, "You're right, but I'm appointing you our entertainment director. It's now your job to come up with fun stuff for us to do. The pay sucks, but the benefits are awesome!"

"It's a deal! Now go. You're up," I agreed, nodding toward the scoreboard with his name lit up.

He kissed me on top of my head and jogged over to grab his ball. "Time to win a limo ride!"

The battle for the prized limo ride was mainly up to the guys as the girls and I were pretty much useless. We were lucky if the ball even made it to the end of the lane by this point. We were having too much fun goofing around with each other.

It was nice getting to know Leah. Even though she's had a dick in her ass before and has apparently seen my boyfriend naked, she was really sweet, and I liked her a lot. If she and Jake stayed together it would be nice to hang out with them more often. Edward and Jake had been getting along good tonight too.

The game was over; the scores were tallied, and Emmett and Rose were the winners. We all piled into the limo to go home. Everyone talked about how much fun they had tonight and agreed to do it again sometime.

Emmett decided to give everyone their goals. "So, before we hang out again…Leah needs to go skinny dipping and have sex with Jake in an elevator, Rose has to go streaking through a neighborhood, Alice has to see Edward naked and have sex with Jasper in a limo. Could've been tonight, by the way…if you had bowled better! Edward needs to watch some porn with his girl, and Bella…well…"

"Ohmygod!" I shouted, burying my head in Edward's chest while everyone laughed.

"Bella needs to get a pet," Edward answered, saving me from further embarrassment by not allowing Emmett to finish his statement.

"Right," Emmett dragged out, laughing at my reddened face.

"What about you, Emmett?" Jasper teased.

Emmett grinned widely and wagged his eyebrows at Rose. She smacked him in the back of the head and said, "Not even in your dreams!"

All of us were still laughing when Jake and Leah got dropped off at his place. Alice and Jasper got out at our apartment next, and Edward asked the driver to wait while he walked me up.

"I would stay the night, but I did make a promise to you regarding the next time I was in your bed. Even though I'm not too drunk to perform, I don't really think it's the best circumstance for our first time," he said as he kissed me goodnight at the door.

"No, not ideal," I admitted. "Plus, I'm not sure I can promise you that _I_ won't pass out seconds after I hit the bed."

"Another time then," he said giving me one last kiss. "Goodnight, sweet angel."

"Sweet dreams, Edward. Thanks for tonight."

I actually did pass out as soon as my head hit the pillow. I woke up early the next day, took a shower, and did some cleaning before getting started on my article. Regrettably, I had too much to do to join the Cullens for their Sunday dinner. Plus, I had already spent the majority of the past three days with them, and I wanted to give Edward some 'daddy time' with Jellybean.

At lunchtime on Monday, I turned in my article and accepted my new job at the _New York Times_. My boss gave me all the paperwork I needed to fill out and set me up in my new cubicle. He scheduled a time to have me come back in to go through some basic training of how everything worked around the office. Just like that, my career path was set in motion.

It was a little tough getting back into work mode after being off so many days for the Thanksgiving holiday. Everyone in the office was also super busy. There was so much work to be done, Edward had to work right through our lunches to catch up. Practically every conference room was being used every hour of every day that week.

I got to see Edward for about twenty minutes on Tuesday. I bought a sandwich and yogurt cup from the cafeteria downstairs and took it into his office for him.

"I know you can't leave for lunch, but I thought you should stop for a few minutes to eat something," I explained.

He motioned for me to come closer for a hug and thanked me with a short kiss. "I forgot to warn you how busy it would be when we came back to work. Sorry I can't make our lunch, but thank you for bringing me something. This will probably be the only chance I have to eat anything until I get home, which looks like it will be pretty late," he said. He motioned for me to sit down while he started on his sandwich.

"I can pack stuff for lunch this week so you can just eat in here if you want," I offered, feeling really bad that he was going to be working so hard.

"No. Thanks, but I'm pretty sure the rest of the week will be business lunches. After this week I only have one more week with you here. I wish we didn't have to skip any lunches together. I'm gonna really miss that. It's always the highlight of my day," he said with a sad look on his face.

"Don't be so sad. We can still have lunch sometimes. My job's not really a nine to five thing. When I'm not busy, I'll just come pester you at work," I replied, trying to lighten the mood.

"Come pester me as often as you can," he said, smiling. "I know this week's going to suck for getting together, but I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go to the tree lighting ceremony Friday night. My parents have friends with a special reserved seating area. It will still be crazy getting in and out with the crowds, but we can go if you wanted to. I don't know if this was something you've always wanted to do, like the Thanksgiving parade. If it was, I didn't want you to miss this too."

"I would love to, but I'm not sure about dealing with the crowds. You're going to be so tired after working so much this week. It seems like a lot of trouble, and I would rather just spend quality time with you and Bethy alone. Maybe I could cook dinner for the three of us, and we could watch it on TV at my place," I offered.

"God…that sound's perfect, Bella."

"Good. Finish your yogurt, and call me whenever you get home tonight. I'll be late too since I have the literacy group meeting." I gave him a kiss and got back to work.

The rest of the week went just as expected…too busy to see each other. Edward worked late every day. I got the apartment cleaned up and went shopping for the things I needed for Friday's dinner.

Realizing I didn't have any toys or things for Bethy to do, I also picked up some coloring books and crayons. I was worried that wasn't going to be good enough, so I grabbed a few little kid puzzles, a doll that came with different outfits, a little plastic tea set, a small box of play food, and a pink tote to put it all in.

At six thirty, Edward and a bouncy little Jellybean showed up at my apartment. I greeted them at the door and took their coats to hang up. Jellybean's smile made the past crappy week melt away.

"Izzybelwa! I can't wait to see your house! We bringed dessert! I'm really hungry too," Bethy blurted excitedly.

"Well, thank you!" I said as I took the box of chocolate cupcakes she was shoving at me. "Good thing you're hungry. Dinner's almost ready."

They followed me into the kitchen, and I placed the cupcakes on the counter. Turning to Edward, I asked, "Teaching her how to be a proper dinner guest already?"

"Of course," he replied, placing a kiss on my cheek.

Bethy tugged on my shirt and said, "Can I see the rest of your house? Do you have a playroom too?"

Edward looked a little freaked out and uncomfortably answered, "Bethy, don't be rude. I'm sure Bella will show you around, but she doesn't have a playroom here. We talked about this in the car."

"Sorry, Izzybelwa," she said, looking up at me with glassy eyes.

I knelt down to her level and gabbed her hand, giving her a friendly smile. "It's okay, sweetie. Come on; I'll show you around. It's not much to see. I don't have a playroom, but I do have some toys we can play with."

I took her by the hand and showed her the dining area and living room first. She was sweet and made sure she said it was pretty. I pointed out the bathroom as we passed it and opened my bedroom door to show her my room. Edward was right behind us, and I noticed his crinkled brow as he eyed the new pink tote on the floor by the door.

Bethy ran her little fingers along my bed as she started to look around the room. I picked her up and showed her some of the pictures on my walls and dresser, pointing to the people and explaining who each were. She seemed especially interested in my vanity table. I sat her down on the bench and let her pick out a lip gloss to put on.

"I love your room, Izzybelwa! It's really pretty," she commented, looking in the mirror and smacking her lips together to spread the gloss.

"Thank you. Want to see my toys now?"

Her eyes lit up and she nodded her head. I took her over to the 'toy box' and sat down on the floor with her. I lifted off the lid and let her rummage around in the box. I pulled out a few of the things so she could see them better. Edward was leaning against the doorframe watching us with quite an intensity.

"You want to color a picture with us while we wait for dinner?" I asked, looking up at Edward.

He cleared his throat and said, "Sure. That sounds like fun."

I had him carry the whole tote out to the living room, and they got situated on the floor in front of the coffee table with their coloring books. I ran in to check on the chicken before I joined the coloring session.

"Ooooh, you color pretty, Izzybelwa," Bethy noted.

"So do you, Jellybean. I like that purple cat," I answered.

By the time we were done with our first page, dinner was ready. Edward set the table while I got all the food together. I had to grab a couple of pillows for Bethy to sit on so she could reach the table, but other than that, everything was perfect.

Bethy slurped down a couple of buttered noodles while Edward cut up her parmesan crusted chicken breast. We also had breadsticks and a Caesar salad, which I made sure Bethy liked ahead of time. Edward and I drank a glass a wine while Bethy enjoyed her milk. The chocolate cupcakes were a perfect dessert.

After dinner we settled on the couch and watched the last half of the tree lighting ceremony. The performances preceding the actual lighting didn't interest Jellybean much, so she had a little tea party with the baby doll. I helped her dress the doll in the fanciest dress in the box, and she picked out some pretend foods to go with the pretend tea.

When the tea party was over, Bethy asked me to help her open up the Cinderella puzzle I had bought. I sat on the floor and helped her put it together, teaching her how to find all the edge pieces and put the outside frame together first.

"They're getting ready to light the tree now," Edward told us. We both climbed up beside him on the couch and watched the screen. Bethy squealed when all the lights flickered on and the star at the top glowed brightly.

Edward tried to clean up the dinner dishes while I finished the puzzle with Bethy, but I made him sit down and watch us instead.

"Edward, no. I can do all that when you guys leave. Just sit and relax. It's probably close to Bethy's bedtime anyway, right?"

He leaned over me, supplying multiple kisses before responding, "We probably should be going soon, but I don't mind helping you clean up before we go."

Bethy snapped the last piece of the puzzle in place, and Edward took a picture of it with his phone before he made her take it apart to put it back in the box. Edward helped me load the dishwasher while Bethy gathered up all the toys and loaded them back in the tote.

"Well, thanks for coming to dinner you two," I said, helping Bethy zip her coat. "Maybe we can do it again sometime."

"Thank you for dinner, Izzybelwa. It was very yummy, and I can come back lots more times," she said politely.

"Good. That makes me very happy, Jellybean," I told her before turning to Edward. "I hope you had a nice time too."

"The best time," he answered. "Dinner was delicious. I'll have to have you make that for lunch sometime when you come to pester me at work."

"I'll make a note of that," I joked. I kissed them both on the cheek when we reached the door.

"Thanks for tonight, baby. It really was perfect. I'll call you when I get home, and we'll make plans for tomorrow," he said, picking Bethy up and carrying her out the door.

I smiled at the little pink box and carried it back to my room, looking forward to having them back 'lots more times'.


	25. Ch25 The Accident

Chapter 25

EPOV

_Apple pie. Warm apple pie. Bella's warm apple pie. Pie with Bella. Warm pie __**on**__ Bella_. Those were the thoughts going through my head as I tried to drown out Emmett's voice. I was glad he and Rosalie enjoyed the limo for the night, but I didn't need _all_ the details. He insisted on telling me anyway.

Our night of bowling ended up being a pretty great time for everyone. It had the potential to be an epic fail during that little game Emmett insisted on playing. Lucky for me, it only went one round. Even luckier was the fact that my girl was the most awesome girlfriend I could ask for.

Aside from the fact that she had watched porn with some asshole that didn't deserve her, she was pretty innocent in a lot of other ways. She was my good girl. My good, sweet, beautiful, sexy, caring, and understanding girl who willingly overlooked my promiscuous past and still wanted me.

What did suck was missing my lunches with her all week. I knew I only had two more weeks with her at the office, but those two weeks were going to be so damn busy. It was always that way after a long Thanksgiving break, but Dad firmly believes that family comes before business and everyone deserved that time off.

The Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center would have been a really nice thing to take Bella to if it weren't for the half million other people crowding the streets. I would have still faced the madness if she had wanted to go. But again, I have the best girlfriend in the world, and she came up with something even better. A quiet evening in with my two favorite girls. There's no way Bella could ever understand how much her thoughts meant to me.

Saturday morning I woke up and checked the weather. Bella and I had talked on the phone after dinner and decided to take Bethy to the park if it was nice enough. I waited until after Bethy and I ate breakfast to call Bella.

Sounding full of energy, she answered the phone, "Hey, Edward! It looks like it's gonna be a nice day today. Still want to go to the park?"

I chuckled, happy that she was in a good mood, and replied, "Good morning to you too, baby! Sounds like you're in a good mood."

"I am! I had a good night last night. I got plenty of rest, and Jasper made some awesome omelets for breakfast this morning. Why didn't anyone tell me Jasper could cook? I've made tons of meals for him and he never said a word."

"Omelets are probably his best dish. They're one of the easiest things to cook on an electric skillet in a college dorm room. He also makes some tasty Ramen noodles too. Ask him to make you some one day," I joked. _I love the sound of her giggling laughter._

"Good to know. So, did you and Jellybean have breakfast yet?" she asked.

"Yep. I didn't make any fantastic omelets, but Bethy prefers pancakes and sausage anyway. I'll let you choose what I pack for our picnic today though."

"Wow. Two hot guys fixing food for me in one day. I'm gonna get spoiled," she teased.

"You don't need Jasper. I'll spoil you all you want. Tell me what you want for lunch, Bella."

"Let Bethy choose. I'll eat whatever you pack. You guys surprise me," she said.

"If Bethy picks, it shouldn't be a surprise. Peanut butter and jelly…always. What time do you want us to pick you up?" I asked.

"I'm ready whenever you are," she said.

"Okay. We'll be over there in a little bit. See ya soon."

I hung up the phone and grabbed my daughter to help me put together the picnic lunch. She was so excited to hear that we were going to play in the park today and even more excited to learn that Izzybelwa was joining us.

I laid rows of bread out on the counter and had my assistant hand me the ingredients. "Peanut butter…" I requested.

"Peanut butter," she answered, lifting up the large jar.

"Jelly…"

"Jelwy," she giggled, passing me a squeezable grape jelly.

I paused after covering half the sandwiches and asked, "Do you think we should make half of them with strawberry?"

"Good idea, Daddy," she said in a serious tone, getting me a jar from the refrigerator.

I sealed each sandwich in a zip-loc bag and let her put them in the top half of the insulated cooler. "We should probably pack some fruit too. Apples or oranges?"

"Oranges!" she belted.

Laughing at her exuberance, I placed the oranges she handed me in the bottom half of the bag. "Hand me some bottled waters too…and a couple of juice boxes," I instructed, and she complied. I grabbed a couple of ice packs from the freezer and lined the cooler.

"What else do we need?" I asked.

"Chips!" she responded immediately.

I zipped up the bottom of the cooler, leaving the top open for her to add the snack size bags of chips I tossed to her.

"What about dessert, Daddy? Chocolate cupcakes?"

"We had chocolate cupcakes last night, baby. How about chocolate chip granola bars instead?" I asked, trying for something at least a little nutritious.

"Fine," she huffed exaggeratedly.

I chuckled and tucked three bars in the bag before zipping it up. "I think we're all done. Are you ready to go get Bella?"

The words were barely out of my mouth when she took off running to grab her coat.

"Slow down there, speedy," I said, helping her slip her arms through the right holes. "Where are your hat and gloves?"

She handed me her hat and scrunched up her little face, tapping her lip with her finger while she tried to remember where her gloves were. I secured the hat on her head and checked her coat pockets, looking for the missing gloves.

"Oh, I 'member!" she shouted, taking off to her playroom. "My baby's hands were cold so I let her use them," she explained when she returned, waving a pair of tiny pink gloves in the air.

I called Bella just as I was approaching her building, and she met us out front. "Ready for some fun in the park?" she asked as she hopped into the car. She reached over the seat and tickled Bethy's knee before she leaned over to give me a quick kiss.

We found parking pretty close to the park and set up our blanket near the playground. The weather was even nicer than expected, and it seemed there were quite a few other families who had the same idea as us.

Bethy gobbled down her sandwich and half of her chips before she asked if she could go play with the other kids in the park. I told her it was okay as long as she stayed where I could see her. She agreed and quickly ran over to introduce herself to a small group of little boys around her age.

Bella giggled and leaned her back against my chest while she started to peel an orange. "Your daughter's quite the little flirt. I wonder where she learned that," she teased, popping a slice of orange into my mouth.

"Miss Swan, what exactly are you suggesting?" I asked, pretending to be insulted, and wrapping my arms around her waist.

"Cut it out, Mr. Cullen," she replied, nudging me with her elbow. "I've seen the way you dazzle women with your charm."

"Dazzle them? I don't know about that," I laughed. "Besides, there's only one woman I'd like to dazzle, but she's way out of my league," I joked while tucking her hair behind her ear so I could see her face better.

A small smile played at the corner of her mouth. She took a bite of an orange slice and responded, "Out of your league, huh?"

I nuzzled into her neck and murmured, "Mmhmmm…she's definitely too good for me, but I just can't get her off my mind."

I started kissing my way down her neck. She giggled and leaned into my kisses. Before things could get too heated, the orange slices she was separating squirted juice in both or our faces. We both started laughing, and I moved to grab a napkin to clean us up.

I noticed Bethy and the little boys she was playing with were chasing each other around in circles. "Man, I hope all those boys have sweaty hands…" I said under my breath.

Bella laughed at me and said, "I think you have a few more years before you seriously have to worry about that."

Before I could lean back and get comfortable again, Bethy's scream had me catapulted off the blanket and rushing to her side. She was crying loudly; huge tears rolled down her cheeks as she held her dirt covered palms out, afraid to touch anything. I dusted off her hands carefully and noticed that they were barely scuffed. There was a small tear in the knee of her jeans where the bloody evidence of her injury peeked through. I scooped her up and brought her back over to the blanket.

Bella looked worried and asked, "What happened? Is she okay?"

Bethy was still sobbing, and the sound of her cries was tearing at my heart. "Bella, I'm sorry, but I think we're gonna have to go. Bethy hurt her knee. I'm going to have to get her home and clean her up." I kissed Bethy on top of her head, still holding her and swaying to try and calm her down. "It's gonna be okay, baby," I tried to assure her.

Bella stood up and reached for Bethy's leg to take a look at the damage. "Can I see it, sweetie?"

Bethy sucked in a few more sobs and nodded her head, looking down at her knee that was being carefully examined by Bella.

"Oh, it's not so bad. I think we can take care of it here if you'll let me help. Then we can still play some more. Those swings look like too much fun to pass up. Will you let me fix it for you?" she spoke tenderly.

Bethy wiped her eyes with her sleeve and answered in a shaky voice, "Okay."

"Come on. Let's sit down on the blanket and take care of this," Bella directed.

I wasn't sure how Bella planned on making it all better, but I knew she would never do anything to hurt Bethy. I followed Bella to the blanket and sat Bethy in between us. Bella carefully started rolling up Bethy's jeans to expose the cut. She grabbed a fresh bottle of water from the cooler and folded up a napkin before wetting it.

"Okay, this might be a little cold, but we've got to clean all the dirt off. I'll be really careful," she told Bethy. She slowly wiped around the wound and tossed the used napkin aside for a new one which she wet with the water bottle again. I watched as she dabbed softly at the bleeding site and blew cool air across my daughter's knee. Bethy watched without crying as Bella patted the area dry.

"Edward, hand me my purse, please," Bella requested. I reached over and grabbed the strap, pulling it closer to give it to Bella. She unzipped it and pulled out a small white pouch.

"I'm pretty clumsy, so I'm use to getting cuts and scrapes all the time," she explained, taking out a tube of antibiotic cream and smoothing a little over Bethy's scraped knee. Then she pulled out a band aid and placed it over the cut. "I think that should do it," she said, smiling at Bethy.

I bent over and kissed the top of the band aid before tugging her pant's leg back down. "Feel better?" I asked.

Bethy nodded her little head, but frowned when she looked down at her jeans. "What about my jeans, Daddy? I ruined them," she complained.

"Hey, people pay a lot of money to get that look!" Bella said, pointing to several of the designer made gashes in her own jeans.

Bethy giggled and said, "You would be a good mommy, Izzybelwa! My fwiend Katie says that all the good mommies always have band aids and snacks in their purse."

_Oh, shit! _That was the first time there had been any mention of Bella playing a mommy role. I hoped that it didn't freak her out. Bella was still young and just getting ready to start out in her career. I could tell how much she cared about Bethy, but I didn't want her to feel pressured even though Bethy's comment was made innocently.

Bella was rummaging through her purse for something so I thought I would make a joke to avoid any awkward tension. "Got any snacks in there?" I teased, tipping my head towards her purse.

Finally finding what she was looking for, she slipped a pair of sunglasses on before blushing and answered, "If you count peanut M&Ms and a half eaten bag of pretzels…then, yeah. I guess I do." She shyly held her purse open to display the items mentioned.

_Damn. Instead of letting her off the hook, I think I just added proof to Bethy's theory that she would be a really great mommy._

I sat there, speechless and staring at her like an idiot. She reached out to take Bethy's hand, smiling and saying, "You ready for those swings now?"

Together they ran off towards the swing set. Bella lifted Bethy up and helped position her feet into the holes on the child swing, pulling the chair back and letting her soar once she was safely in place. Then she hopped onto the regular swing beside her and joined in. Both girls were laughing and pumping their legs to go higher and higher. Just like that, my sexy girlfriend reverted back to her five year old self. They were so much fun to watch together.

I was shaken from my dreamy gaze when Bella called out for me to help push them. I happily sauntered over and helped propel them higher, alternating pushes between my two girls. Once they tired of the swing, they rode down the slide a few times before we were ready to leave.

"Daddy, can Izzybelwa come to our house and see my room?" Bethy asked as we were getting in the car.

"Uh, sure. Bella, do you feel like hanging out at our place for a little while?" I asked, a little nervous, but totally looking forward to having her in my home.

Bella slid her sunglasses to the top of her head and looked at me when she answered, "I'd really like that, but I know that wasn't planned for today. If you're not ready for company, we can do it some other time."

"No," I quickly replied. "I mean, yes…I'd like you to come over. Look, I'm a little embarrassed that my kid had to be the one to invite you over. I should have already asked you a long time ago. I have thought about it. It's just that I'm not use to bringing anyone home with me…like, ever. My own family have only been there a handful of times…and not exactly by a social invitation. It's basically served as sort of a sanctuary for me and Bethy to live without the craziness of the rest of the world. But you…you're the good kind of crazy. I want you there." I gave her a wink, and she bit her bottom lip and nodded.

I drove into the underground parking garage and pulled in next to my Vanquish. When we got out of the car, I showed Bella the resident's elevator before leading her the opposite direction. "That's the elevator I usually use, but we'll go in through the lobby so I can introduce you to Ben. That way you'll be familiar with everything if you decide to drop by on your own sometime."

"Good evening, Mr. Cullen and Little Miss Cullen," Ben greeted as soon as we stepped in.

"Ah, good evening, Ben. It's good to see you. I'd like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Bella. Ben Cheney, this is Isabella Swan." I introduced.

"Hi, Ben. It's nice to meet you," Bella said as they shook hands.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Swan," he answered.

On the way to the elevator, I stopped at the reception desk and told Mrs. Grace to add Bella's name to my permanent visitor's list. She entered it into the computer and had me enter my authorization code into the keypad. I introduced them to each other before leading her to the elevator. We stepped inside, and I introduced her to Felix before he turned the key and pressed the P button for us.

I took a deep breath before unlocking my door and ushering Bella inside. I stood back and let her take it all in before trying to show her around.

"Wow, Edward. This is…whoa. It's amazing!" she announced, turning her head to scan the open floor plan. She started to take a step forward, but stopped before she stepped onto the plush white carpet. She bent down and slipped off her shoes before continuing on.

"Well, you can pretty much see everything from here. Living room, dining room, kitchen," I said, motioning to each.

"Yeah," she scoffed playfully. She walked forward, ran her hands across the back of the cream colored Italian leather sofa, and went directly for the shiny, black, baby grand piano positioned in the middle of the raised floor alcove. She tentatively reached her hand out to stroke the keys, but pulled back before she touched it. She turned in a half circle, looking out the floor to ceiling windows that surrounded the room. Walking over to the glass and pressing her body as close as possible without marking it, she looked out at the sparkling city lights and commented, "The view is breathtaking."

I chuckled and said, "Bella, you don't have to be afraid to touch anything."

She spun around, looking a little embarrassed, but gestured to the piano, saying, "I knew you played guitar, but this too?"

I nodded and answered, "Since I was about three. It's the first musical instrument I learned how to play. On the piano I enjoy playing more classical style music, nothing like the rock music Jasper plays on the keyboard in the band. For that, I prefer a guitar."

She bit her lip and glanced over at the kitchen, then the dining room. She seemed reluctant to move, and I had no idea what she was thinking. I was beginning to freak out. It was only part of the condo and I was sure she was already overwhelmed.

"Can I show Izzybelwa my rooms?" Bethy piped in.

"Of course. You show Bella your rooms, and then I'll show her around the rest of the place," I answered.

Bella followed Bethy to her room and gushed over how pretty it was, which made Bethy jump around in happiness. Bella told her how much she always wanted a beautiful canopy bed like that when she was a little girl.

Next, Bethy showed Bella her playroom, and I let them spend a few extra minutes in there before offering to show her the rest.

"Oh, I remember him," Bella said, giving Blue Bunny a hug before putting him down and following me.

I pointed out the hall bathroom, flicking the light on and letting her peek in. Moving on, I showed her the fitness room which contained several different pieces of equipment and some free weights.

"Ah, I wondered how you kept that body in such great shape," she teased.

"Thanks," I laughed. "There's a gym downstairs and at work, but with having Bethy, it's easier to just have my own. And this is my…library? Or office, maybe?" I said, showing her the room filled with bookcases, a large desk, and my computer.

"Nice," she commented, poking her head in through the doorway.

"And, uh…this is my bedroom. Last stop on the tour." I stepped through the door, leading her by the hand behind me. "There's also another bathroom through there," I added, pointing to the door on the other side of the room.

She walked around the king sized bed, heading toward the bathroom. She flipped on the bathroom light and gasped, eyes huge as she said, "Holy mother! That is one hell of a bathtub. This whole bathroom is bigger than my bedroom. And look at that shower!"

For the first time in my life, I felt embarrassed by my obvious wealth. I knew Bella wasn't use to a lavish lifestyle. She deserved to have it all, but somehow I knew she wouldn't want to indulge herself even if she could afford it.

Uncomfortably, I asked, "Do you want to go back out and watch TV or something?"

She narrowed her eyes at me and asked, "Trying to hide something from me, Mr. Cullen?"

I smirked and answered, "No, of course not. Spend all the time you want in my bedroom. Please."

She blushed and sat down on the edge of the bed, testing it with a few bounces before asking, "So, is this where you're laying when you call to say goodnight to me?"

"Usually. Either there or on the couch," I admitted.

She got up and started moving around the room again, looking over the Cds stacked by my stereo. She picked up the acoustic guitar from the stand in the corner and strummed a few cords before placing it gently back. I guess she thought it was safe to touch that instrument. Little did she know, that particular guitar cost more than the piano in the other room.

She finally made her way back to the entrance after eying all the items on my dresser.

"Finished snooping around?" I teased.

"I wasn't snooping. Did you see me open up any of your drawers?" she asked in return. "But if I did…what would I find?"

"Absolutely nothing interesting. What would I find in your drawers?" I countered.

She blushed again and said, "Okay. Let's go watch TV."

Bethy put on the new _Cars_ movie and piled on the couch next to us. Halfway through the movie I ordered dinner. After dinner, Bethy started yawning, and I decided we'd better drive Bella home before it got much later.

The next day, Bella joined us for dinner at Mom and Dad's, but everyone called it an early evening since it was going to be another busy week at work.

It was Bella's last week at the Cullen Corporation. Regrettably, I was not able to join her for any of our lunches again. I did make sure to keep Friday's slot open because Rosalie planned a surprise farewell lunch for Bella in one of the conference rooms.

Rosalie had the lunch catered by the deli down the street that Bella was so fond of. My Dad, Emmett, Rosalie, and myself surprised her with a few parting gifts. Dad gave her a really nice, leather bound journal. Em and Rose gave her an expensive pen set and a gift certificate to the deli. I gave her a high tech digital recorder, figuring she would need it for note taking or conducting interviews at her new job. Bella obviously didn't expect any gifts, and she was overcome with emotions as she thanked everyone and said a tearful goodbye to her old job.

I missed the hell out of Bella on Saturday. She had promised Alice they would spend the day decorating their apartment for the holidays. Since it was their first Christmas there, it would involve half a day of shopping for a tree and decorations, then the rest of the day putting it put up. Bella invited me and Bethy over to help, but it also happened to be the day that my mom and Rosalie were coming over to help Bethy and I decorate our apartment.

Thank goodness for Sundays and the Cullen family dinner tradition. That was the only time I saw Bella the whole weekend. She made it to dinner and hung out for a little while afterward before she needed to get home and prepare to start her new job the next day.

Mondays have never been my favorite day of the week, but this particular Monday really sucked. Going into work and seeing a strange woman sitting where Bella should have been was only the beginning of my nightmare.

"Mr. Cullen, I'd like to introduce you to your new assistant, Miss Gianna Ricci," Rosalie introduced in her most professional voice.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cullen," the woman that should have been Bella spoke, standing and extending her hand to me.

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Ricci," I answered, shaking her hand quickly with barely a glance in her direction. I know I probably came off a little rude, but seeing someone else at Bella's desk bothered me more than I thought it would.

"Miss Hale, I'm expecting a conference call from Mr. Watson. Patch him directly through to my office as soon as he calls," I addressed Rosalie in the same professional manner she had used. With a new employee in the office, things weren't as casual as they had become when Bella was here.

The conference call with Mr. Watson took longer than I had hoped, and left me with some unexpected extra work.

At 10:02 exactly, I received a call from my father that sent chills down my spine and nearly stopped my heart.

"Edward, I'm on my way down to pick you up right now. There's been an accident. We need to get to the hospital right away," my father rushed to say.

"What? What kind of accident? Dad, who's in the hospital?"

"Son, the hospital just called to inform me that your mother was in a car accident. She's unconscious right now. They found her emergency contact information in her wallet. Edward…Bethy was in the car with her. She's okay, but they didn't know who she was or who to call about her. I told them I was her grandfather and that I would bring you with me..."

The rest of his words faded out as I dropped the phone from my ear. I rushed towards the elevator and was met with my dad's ashen appearance when the doors slid open.

He quickly spoke several words to Rosalie as I was entering the elevator, but all I could focus on was getting to my daughter and mother as fast as possible. I don't even remember leaving the building or getting into my father's car. A couple thoughts were spinning repeatedly in my heat. My daughter must be so scared…being pulled from a car wreck, not knowing what was going on with her grandmother, and surrounded by strangers who didn't know how to help her. And Mom…oh, my god…she's not even conscious. She has to be okay. Nothing can happen to her. It just can't!

I didn't even realize I had my phone up to my ear until I heard Bella's voicemail pick up. Without thinking, I left some sort of message before hanging up. Minutes later, my father and I were sprinting through the emergency entrance at the hospital. Dad checked in with the lady at the front desk while I looked frantically around the waiting area for a familiar face.

"Edward, I'm going to go check on your mom. They'll take you to Bethy, and you can come find me after you have her taken care of," Dad instructed me.

I shook my head, trying to process what was going on around me.

"Mr. Cullen…Mr. Cullen?" a voice broke through my foggy brain. "Please follow me. Your daughter is waiting for you at one of the nurse's stations in the back."

As I rounded the corner, familiar little whimpers were music to my ears. Not because Bethy was crying, but because it meant she was alive and close by. And because it meant I would be reunited with her in a matter of mere seconds.

"Daddy!" she cried out as soon as she saw me.

"Oh, baby! It's okay. I'm right here. Daddy's here," I responded, rushing to hold her tightly in my arms.

"D-daddy, I d-didn't know w-what to d-do! Nana w-wouldn't wake up," she sniffled. "I was s-so scared, and they won't take me to her."

"It's okay, baby. Daddy's got you. We'll go find her real soon," I assured her, holding her close to my chest and planting kiss after kiss on the top of her head. Turning to one of the nurses, I asked, "Is my daughter okay to leave now?"

"Yes, she's fine. The doctor has already checked her out. There are no injuries, and she's free to go. There are a few forms you need to fill out at the discharge desk before you leave," she answered.

I followed the nurse to the discharge station with Bethy in my arms. I filled out the necessary forms and had someone escort us to the private trauma waiting room where my father was.

He was pacing back and forth, gripping his hair with one hand and wiping his eyes with the other.

"Dad, have you seen Mom yet? Have you heard anything?" I asked.

He stalled his pacing and answered in a shaky breath, "Yes. They let me in to see her for just a minute. She's…" He paused, just then noticing Bethy in my arms. "Come here, little one," he said, pulling her into his arms. "How are you doing? I bet you were really scared."

Bethy nodded her head and whispered, "I was soooo scared, Pop-Pop. Is Nana going to be okay?"

He forced a small smile for her sake and replied, "Your Nana is brave and strong. She'll be okay. She'll probably have to stay here for a while to rest, but she wouldn't want you to be worrying about her. She's sleeping right now, and the doctor's are getting a nice room set up for her so she will be more comfortable. We probably won't be able to go in to see her for a while though."

Bethy nodded again and wrapped her little arms around his neck to give him a hug. Just then, the door flew open and Emmett rushed in, followed by a panicked looking Rosalie. Close behind them were Jasper and Alice, both showing looks of concern.

"Dad, what's going on? How's Mom?" Emmett asked.

Dad glanced down at Bethy, and Alice volunteered herself and Jasper to take her down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. At first Bethy didn't want to go, but I assured her that we would all be waiting right here for her. I also asked her to bring me back a cookie, which helped her decide to go.

Once they were out of the room, Dad guided us towards the chairs to have a seat while he explained, "She's still unconscious. Her whole left side is bruised and swollen. They have her hooked up to a bunch of machines right now. They couldn't tell me how serious it was yet, but they'll definitely be admitting her into the hospital. They took her upstairs for a CT scan and to run some tests. I think the biggest concern right now is the possibility of internal bleeding or brain damage. All we can do is wait right now."

Rose gripped Emmett's arm tightly as tears streamed down her face. I stood and took over Dad's pacing, practically ripping my own hair out by the roots. Emmett embraced Dad in a hug and asked, "Do you know what happened? How bad was the accident?"

"I don't know all the details, son. The only thing they told me was that someone ran through a red light at an intersection and crushed the driver's side of your mom's car," Dad answered, clenching his eyes shut and rubbing his forehead while we all waited helplessly.

There was a small knock at the door, and an older gentleman opened it and peeked inside. "Are you the Cullen family?' he asked. When we all nodded he stepped inside and continued, "I'm Chaplain White. I just wanted to stop by and introduce myself. I also have a bit of news. The doctor should be in soon to speak to you, but I thought I'd let you know that Mrs. Cullen is finished with her round of tests and everything looks better than they expected. I'll let the doctor fill you in on the medical stuff, but I did hear that there was no internal bleeding which is a very good sign."

"Thank you so much for the update," Dad voiced.

"I know the waiting can sometimes be the hardest part. Like I said, the doctor should be in soon. They're getting her settled into a room right now. I'm here to help if you need anything. Just ask the receptionist and she'll have me paged," he said before shaking our hands and leaving us alone to wait some more.

The first thing I thought when he introduced himself was _no, no, no…not good. They don't send the chaplain in unless it's really bad, right? _But, he seemed to have pretty good news so, hopefully, I was wrong.

BPOV

The main goal for Monday was basically to familiarize myself with the inner workings of my new job. I had my cubicle set up, and my boss led me around to give me a tour. He pointed out the divisions I would be interacting with and ran through the process of getting my assignments and meeting the deadline for turning in my completed work. It was a much tighter schedule than I was use to. News is only news when it's new. There was an urgency to get everything to the presses as soon as possible.

After my boss left me to my own devises, I switched my cell phone back on and it chirped with several missed calls. There was one call from Edward, one from Rosalie, and two from Alice. I hit the button for my voicemail and heard Edward's broken voice come through. _"Bella…I need you." _I disconnected immediately, getting ready to return his call when my phone rang.

"Bella, Jasper and I are on our way to the hospital. Esme and Bethy were in a car accident. Edward and his dad are already there. Rose called Jasper to let him know. Her and Emmett are headed there now too. I don't know if you can leave, but…"

I interrupted Alice, saying, "I'll be there as soon as I can. Do you know if they're okay?"

"From what I understand, Bethy is fine, but Esme is in more serious condition. We're almost there. We'll see you soon," she answered.

I grabbed my purse, letting someone know I was leaving because of an emergency. I rushed toward the hospital without returning Edward's call. He needed me, and I needed to get to him as fast as possible.

When I arrived in front of the hospital, I didn't know where to go from there. I pulled out my phone and called Edward. As soon as he picked up, I rushed to ask, "Where are you?"

"Bella. I'm at the hospital. My mom and Bethy were in a car accident," he started explaining.

"I'm here, Edward. What room are you in?"

He explained how to find the waiting room they were in, and I hurried through the hospital doors to find it. The sight that awaited me brought tears to my eyes. Edward looked worried and tired. I could tell he had been tugging at his hair. Emmett's eyes were red and glassy as he sat slumped forward. Rosalie was sitting by his side, rubbing his back and wiping at her own tears with a wad of tissue.

The sight that completely broke me was Carlisle. He was sitting in a chair, facing the door with a blank stare on his face. His eyes were red rimmed. His hair was a mess. He looked completely and totally lost. I knew in an instant that, without Esme, everyone in this room would be devastated and their lives would never be the same again. She was the glue that held this family together.

Edward was the first to notice my presence. He walked over and held me in a silent embrace. I waited until he relaxed slightly before explaining, "I'm so sorry. I had my phone off, but I came as soon as I found out. How is Esme? Where's Bethy? Alice said she was okay."

"They're getting Mom settled into a room, and we're waiting for the doctor to come in and let us know something. Alice and Jasper took Bethy down to the cafeteria. She's not hurt, just shaken up emotionally over what happened," he quietly explained.

Rose got up and gave me a hug, crying into my shoulder. When a doctor walked through the door, she went back to her place by Emmett's side while everyone else sat up straighter to hear the news from the doctor. I reached over to take Edward's hand, and he held on tightly, accepting my support.

"I'm Dr. Amun. I've been Mrs. Cullen's doctor since she was brought in this morning. I'm sorry to keep you waiting so long, but we needed to run a few tests to determine the extent of her injuries. We had to keep her sedated while we performed all the necessary examinations, so she's still not conscious. We do expect her to wake up on her own, but it probably won't be until sometime during the night. There is good news. The EEG showed normal brain activity and the CT scan didn't reveal any significant injuries. We were very concerned that there may have been some internal bleeding, but that has since been ruled out. We had to spend some time removing broken glass from her scalp, and there was one site on her neck that needed stitches. She was very lucky though. The shard of glass missed a major artery by a centimeter. She has a small fracture near her wrist which we will be setting with a cast within the hour. Other than that, most of her injuries are just very bad bruising. Of course, she will still be very tender and sore for several days. Initially, she will be in some degree of pain, but we're delivering pain relievers through her IV right now."

"Thank you so much for taking good care of her. And for letting us know how she's doing. Will we be able to see her soon?" Carlisle asked.

"It will still be a little while, but yes. I'll send someone in as soon as visitors are allowed. She'll be in the ICU for at least twenty four hours for close observation and until she wakes up. After that, we'll move her to a regular room until she's well enough to go home. My guess is four to seven days, depending on how well her mobility is and how well she manages with the pain," the doctor explained.

Everyone thanked him again, and he left to go back to check on Esme. The relief in the room was palpable. Everyone was still worried about her and anxious to see her, but their worst fears were laid to rest.

"Do you want to go find Bethy or get some coffee or something?" I asked Edward.

"No, they'll bring her back in here when they're done. I'd rather go get some fresh air. Walk with me?" he replied.

Together we walked through the hospital corridors and out to a small garden. Deep breaths of crisp cool air filled our lungs while the sunlight warmed our faces. The nearby bench was already occupied by another couple so we walked the path to a short, brick, retaining wall. Edward lifted me up and sat me on the wall, positioning himself to stand between my legs, facing me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and leaned into me.

"Thank you for coming here. I was about to loose my mind. I felt so useless, just sitting around waiting and depending on a bunch of strangers to save my mom. I'm glad you came. How did you know?"

"Well, I had my phone turned off while my boss was going over some things with me. When I turned it back on, I got your message. Before I could call you back, Alice called and filled me in. I got here as quick as I could, but I'm sorry I didn't answer when you called," I explained.

Edward's forehead crinkled and he bit his lip while he contemplated. Suddenly his eyes went wide as he realized something. "Oh, god! It was your first day at your new job! I didn't even think. I shouldn't have called…actually, I didn't even realize I had called until I got your voicemail, but you didn't have to leave work on your first day. I hope it didn't cause a problem," he said worriedly.

"There's no way I'd be anywhere else right now. Even if you hadn't called, I would have found out from Alice. But I'm glad you called. Anytime you need me…for any reason…I _expect_ you to call me. And you can expect me to be there for you. That's how it works," I told him.

"Thank you," he mouthed before crashing his lips to mine. His kisses were both frenzied and passionate. His strong arms crushed me tightly to him. For a moment I wasn't sure what he needed from me until I realized he was desperately trying to find something…to cling to some emotion that stabilized him and took away the uncertainty he had been swimming in the past few hours.

I slid my hands down both his forearms, squeezing a little to let him know I was there with him. I traced the features of his face with my thumbs while we continued to kiss. I gently ran my fingers through his hair, smoothing them across his scalp and slowing our kisses as he calmed.

"Baby, if I could take the smallest amount of hurt and worry for you, I would do anything you needed. Tell me what I can do to help," I whispered by his ear.

"You just being here helps…a lot," he replied.

I continued stroking through his hair and let him hold me until he relaxed and pulled back, thanking me again.

"We should probably head back inside. Bethy might be waiting for you," I said.

"You're right. God, I don't know what to do, Bella. I just can't leave the hospital until I know my mom's gonna be okay…until she wakes up and I can see her. But I still have to take care of my daughter and I don't want her to sit around here, worrying with the rest of us," he admitted.

"Why don't you let me take Bethy home with me. Alice and I can have a little slumber party with her to keep her mind off things. She'll be fine. You can pick her up in the morning or just call me if you want me to bring her back up here. I don't have anything to do for work until tomorrow evening," I offered.

"Bella…I can't ask you…" he started to say.

"You didn't ask. I offered, and it's not a burden at all. We'll have fun together, and you need a break to be here for your mom. I think your dad could use some support too."

Edward agreed, and we went back in to find Bethy. She was in the waiting room with everyone else. I pulled Alice aside and told her the plan, to which she readily agreed. We presented the idea to Bethy, and it didn't take too much convincing to get her to come with us. Edward gave us all a hug and kiss goodbye, telling us he would call to check in later.

The hospital loaned us a car seat, and Alice and Bethy rode with me back to our apartment. When we got there, I pulled the toy tote into the living room so she could play and watch TV while I cooked some dinner.

After we ate, I decided it would be a good idea to make get well cards for Esme. I knew Bethy was worried, and this way she could feel like she was doing something to help her Nana. Alice brought an array of craft supplies to the dining table, and all three of us created our own colorful cards. I think we got as much glue, glitter, and marker ink on us as we did on the cards.

I helped Bethy get a bath and gave her one of my t-shirts to wear as a nightgown. Alice and I showed Bethy how we set up for a slumber party when we were kids, moving the living room furniture back and piling sleeping bags and pillows on the floor. Alice popped some popcorn while I helped Bethy choose a movie to watch. We didn't have any kid's movies, so I found something on pay-per-view she would like.

Just as we all sunk into our sleeping bags, with Bethy in the middle, Edward called to check in. I talked to him for just a minute, assuring him that Bethy was fine and having him tell me nothing had changed at the hospital yet.

I gave Bethy the phone and watched her animatedly explain what we had done all evening. She was proud and excited to tell him about our homemade cards and filled him in on our sleeping bags and the movie we were getting ready to watch. Her call ended with an 'I love you' and a bunch of noisy air kisses.

Towards the end of the movie, Bethy tugged on my shirt sleeve and asked, "Izzybelwa, can I sleep in your bed wif you?"

I answered, "Sure, Jellybean. We don't have to sleep on the floor if you don't want to."

She gave Alice a hug goodnight, and I carried her into my room and got her tucked into my bed before sliding in beside her. She snuggled up close to me with her little hand clasped around mine and said "Goodnight, Izzybelwa."

"Sweet dreams, Jellybean," I said in return before we both drifted off to sleep.

Sometime around three o'clock in the morning, I was woken by a soft kiss on my temple. I opened my eyes to a pair of tired green ones looking back at me.

"Hey," I mumbled.

"Shh," he whispered, acknowledging his sleeping daughter with the tilt of his head.

I got up and followed him into the living room, sitting down of the couch beside him. "Is everything okay with Esme?"

"Yeah, she woke up about an hour ago. She seemed fine. She was worried about Bethy. I told her she was happy and safe here with you. That made her feel better. I think she was in a bit of pain, so they gave her some more meds which helped her fall back to sleep. Dad's staying there with her. I'm going to stop by there in the morning, after I drop Bethy off at school. I still need to take care of some business at work before I can spend more time there. Emmett and I will have our hands full, since Dad has decided to take off until Mom is back home and able to take care of herself again."

"Well, I don't have to work until later in the evening. I can pick Bethy up from school if you need me to. That way you can do what you need to do at the office. You can pick Bethy up before I have to go to work and take her to visit Esme. She made a card for her. Well, we all did, actually. Bethy can deliver them for us." I offered.

"Thanks, Bella. I really appreciate it," he said while yawning.

"It's no problem. Really. I can help you out all week if you need me to. My job doesn't hold me to an office or set working hours. Whenever I need to go out for an assignment, I can drop Bethy off with you or Rose. Get some sleep, and we'll work everything out in the morning," I told him.

Edward nodded and stretched out on the couch. I gave him a pillow and draped a blanket over him seconds before his eyes fell shut.

I went back to bed with Jellybean and woke up before everyone else to make breakfast. I made pancakes and sausage because I remembered Edward telling me that Bethy like that. When she woke up, she ran straight to her sleeping dad on the couch and tackled him with a delighted squeal.

Edward accepted my offer of help, but made me promise to let him know if it became too much for me. I suggested letting Bethy hang out with me for the day so he could head straight to work. He didn't want to disrupt her schedule, so instead, he had me follow him to her preschool and introduced me to the teacher, adding my name to Bethy's pick up list.

Edward decided that it would be easier for me to watch Bethy at his place since everything she needed was already there. He gave me a spare key to his apartment and kissed me goodbye before he headed off to work.

I spent the day taking care of some chores around the house after I stopped by the _Times_ to make sure everything was okay after my abrupt departure the day before. At three o'clock I was at Bethy's school, signing her out and taking her home.

It felt a little weird letting myself in to Edward's home, especially since he wasn't there and I had only been there once before. It only took Jellybean minutes to fall into her normal after school routine. While she played, I searched through Edward's kitchen and found something simple to make for dinner.

The spaghetti noodles were almost done, and the garlic bread was coming out of the oven when Edward walked through the door.

"Mmm, smells good," Edward commented, nuzzling into my neck as he hugged me from behind.

"I figured you liked spaghetti since it was in your cabinet, and I wanted you two to have something to eat before you went back to the hospital," I said.

"Oh, I was talking about you, but the food smells good too. You didn't have to cook, but thank you," he answered.

We ate dinner together, and I went to work when they left to go visit Esme. The rest of the week followed the same domestic pattern we had fallen into. Edward was exhausted, trying to juggle work, hospital visits, Bethy, and me. I understood and helped out as much as I could.

My new job wasn't as great as I expected, but it did allow me the freedom to enjoy my new favorite part of the day…taking care of Edward and Bethy. I just wish it had been better circumstances that pushed us into this. I also hoped Edward wouldn't regret our relationship being pushed forward too quickly. It would be hard on me to take it back a few notches if he did, but I had to hope that we were moving in the right direction.


	26. Ch26 A Ghost From the Past

Chapter 26

EPOV

I stood in the entryway, slack jawed and completely speechless. I was staring at the biggest mess my apartment had ever seen. Well, maybe the second biggest mess, rivaled only by the arts and crafts disaster I walked in on a few days ago.

Bethy's preschool was closed the week before and after Christmas, so Bella had offered to 'hang out' with her for the week while I was at work. I figured she was just trying to make it sound more like having fun instead of considering it babysitting duty, but I soon realized that Bella had her own way of mixing the two.

During the week, they went Christmas shopping a few times, visited my mom a lot, brought lunch to me at work, turned my living room into a makeshift school for Bethy's dolls and stuffed animals, created a beach party in the bathroom for Barbie and friends, and set up a gift wrapping station on the dining room table before the huge art explosion occurred when Bella had my three year old daughter help her decorate a cardboard puppet theatre for the creative writing students in her workshop. Since the students were each making their own puppets, Bella volunteered to make the stage. There were still traces of glitter and paint in the crevices of the marble floor. Maggie, my cleaning lady, told me she spent an extra hour scrubbing it, but would clean it again with a stronger product next time.

The new mess centered around my kitchen, but trails of white powder, probably flour, led the way from the kitchen to the dining room. From where I stood, I could see every inch of the counters were covered in baking ingredients. There were stacks of dirty mixing bowls piled in and around the sink and several bowls of colorful icing spread out near a tray of half decorated cookies. The mixer sat at one end of the counter where it had done a fine job of slinging globs of batter and dough across the cabinets and walls. In the middle of the disaster stood my two girls, bathed in sugar, spices, and food coloring while they happily sang Christmas carols along with the radio.

"Daddy! You're home!" Bethy squealed when she noticed me standing there watching them. She hopped down from the chair she was standing on and ran to greet me.

Bella looked up with a shocked expression on her face. She turned the radio down a little and said, "You're early. I was planning on having all this cleaned up before you got here."

I chuckled, picking Bethy up to hug her, subsequently becoming part of the messy baking project. "Looks like this is going to take more than a couple hours to clean. Get a little carried away with the baking?" I teased, kissing Bella on the cheek and standing Bethy back on the chair in front of the cookies she was trying to decorate.

"Daddy, look! I made a special one just for you!" she chirped, pointing to a misshapen cookie that looked sort of like a reindeer with blue eyes and a glob of red icing on the tip of the nose.

"Oh, well, look at that! It looks so yummy. Can I eat it right now?" I asked with extra enthusiasm.

"Silly Daddy! You have to wait 'til after dinner," she giggled.

"Usually that's true, but these are special cookies. Christmas cookies can be eaten anytime…if you've been a good boy or girl," I bargained.

Fully believing me, Bethy nodded and handed me the cookie, grabbing another one for herself. She watched me take a bite of mine first, and I moaned in pleasure at the taste.

"This is really good!" I exclaimed. "Delicious!"

Bella laughed and added, "Of course they are! _We_ made them." She winked at Bethy and finished adding fluffy, white icing beards to the Santa faces. "I wanted to make cookies for the Christmas party at the literacy foundation tonight. Bethy mentioned that she usually makes holiday cookies with your mom. Since Esme can't really do much baking this year, we bought extra supplies to bake enough for all of us. Bethy was right…she's a _really_ good helper! We've been at this all day."

"I can tell," I said, motioning toward the buffet of treats on the dining table. "That was really sweet of you. I'm sure Mom will love them."

"I hope so. When we were at the store getting all the ingredients, Bethy saw some decorated cookies like these," she said, pointing to the tray. "Well…not _exactly_ like these, but they wanted almost five dollars for one. I figured we could do just as good if we made them ourselves. They might not look as nice, but they taste really good. Bethy insisted that Santa Claus likes chocolate chip the best, so we made a lot of those too. My dad preferred peanut butter while I like oatmeal raisin the most. And of course, it wouldn't be Christmas without sugar cookies with red and green sprinkles. We made tons of each."

I laughed at the Santa Claus reference and commented, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure Bethy's right about Santa's favorite. My mom makes the best chocolate chip…secret family recipe stuff."

Bella smirked and stuffed a cookie in my mouth, waiting for my response.

"How…these taste just like…"

"Bethy called her Nana and begged her to explain how to make them. I think she was worried about not getting good gifts if the cookies weren't good enough," she explained while laughing. "Don't worry though. I've been sworn to secrecy. The family recipe is safe with me."

I grabbed another chocolate chip and kissed Bella sweetly on the lips before popping it in my mouth. "If my mom trusts you with her recipe I might have to keep you around for a while," I joked, although I had no intentions of letting her go in the first place. I walked over to the sink and started to clean up the dishes before Bella stopped me.

"Edward, stop cleaning. I'm gonna do it. I told you I planned on having it done before you got home. I would have cleaned up the art supplies last time if I hadn't gotten called into work for a breaking story. Sorry about that, by the way."

I just chuckled at her unnecessary apology and continued to clean anyway. "Don't worry about it. The reason I came home early was because I knew you had a lot to do to get ready for the party tonight. Get everything you need together while I clean up. And as for last time…stop apologizing! It was no big deal. Besides, I gave Maggie an extra Christmas bonus for all the trouble."

"All finished!" Bethy cheered, pointing to the messy cookies she decorated.

"Good job, baby. Now run to the bathroom and wash your hands off," I told her as I helped her down from the chair. I turned back to Bella and said, "Go. Get your stuff together, and I'll grab you a shirt to change into. Otherwise, you'll make a mess of your car too."

She hesitated, looking around the kitchen at all the cleaning that needed to be done. "Edward, I…thanks for coming home early to help me, but I don't want to leave all this for you to do. And I certainly don't want Maggie to have to clean up after me again. She's going to hate me!"

"Bella, it's fine. I won't leave it for Maggie. Trust me. And she would never hate you…even if you are the messiest woman alive," I replied with a hint of sarcasm.

"Fine," she relented, choosing a large platter from the stack of containers by the table and filling it with a variety of cookies for the party.

"Here. You can wear this home. If you keep up with all these little projects you might have to start leaving some extra clothes here," I said playfully when I returned with sweatshirt for Bella.

"Thanks, but I like wearing your shirts. They smell like you," she commented. After filling the remaining containers with treats and dividing them into separate piles designated for specific households, she changed into my sweatshirt and got ready to leave. The shirt nearly swallowed her whole, but she looked completely adorable in it.

"You're coming tonight, right? I promised Bethy she would get to see the puppet show, but if you have something else you need to do I can take her with me," Bella said, standing by the door and looking off balance with the huge platter in her hand. She furrowed her brows in thought for a second and added, "I think your mom is going to try and make it too. Maybe I should bag up her cookies and bring them."

"Bella, you can't carry all that. I'm planning on coming, so I'll bring them along."

"Okay. Oh! I forgot to tell you…the other day when Bethy and I were shopping, we saw Santa Claus at Macy's. I know she wanted to sit on his lap and get her picture taken, but I thought that was something you would want to do with her. I know you've been so busy, and it's only a couple days until Christmas, but he'll be there until they close on Christmas Eve."

"I'm off tomorrow. Maybe we can all go. Got any last minute shopping you need to get done?" I suggested.

"Not really, but I'd love to go," she replied with a smile.

"Okay. It's a date. See you later tonight, baby." I kissed Bella goodbye and went to check on my daughter. After closer inspection, it was clear that she would need a bath before getting ready to go.

Once Bethy was taken care of, I cleaned the kitchen back to it's original state and took a shower before heading to the Christmas party. As soon as we got there, I saw Dad helping Mom out of the car by the front doors. She had been home from the hospital for about a week, but this was her first outing since.

"Mom, you look great. How are you feeling today?" I asked when I caught up to them.

Most of the bruising on her face had faded so much it was barely visible and easily covered with make up. Her hair was styled nicely, as usual. She was wearing a scarf around her neck to hide the stitches, and her clothes covered all of the bad bruising that had yet to disappear completely. The cast on her arm was the only visible sign that anything had happened.

"I feel much better, Edward. I'm especially glad to be getting out of the house for a while. Your father's driving me crazy. He won't let me do anything for myself at home. You would think I'd broken every bone in my body by the way he's coddling me," she answered with a gentle laugh.

Dad gave me a look that meant my mom was underplaying her injuries, but verbally responded, "There's nothing wrong with a man wanting to take care of his wife when she's not feeling well."

"I feel fine, Carlisle," Mom responded. "Care to walk an old lady into the party?" she asked me, holding onto my arm for support.

"Sure, Mom. But you're no old lady," I replied, nodding to my dad that I had her before he moved to park the car. "Oh, remind me before we leave that I have some cookies in the car for you. I think Bella made enough to share with the entire city."

Mom laughed, then took a sharp breath and held her hand to her ribs before letting the air out slowly. "She's been so perfect these past few weeks. I felt horrible that I couldn't do the taking care of Bethany like I usually do, but I think Bella has me beat. I've never seen Bethy so fulfilled. Make sure you let Bella know how much she's appreciated. I'm sure it hasn't been all fun and games. I know the responsibility of taking care of a young one and tying in a new job with that…well, she deserves a metal for all her hard work. Don't take her for granted, Edward."

"I know, Mom. Believe me…she's been a lifesaver. She was really worried about you…and Bethy and me. Dad too. I think she just wanted to make it easier on all of us by helping any way she could. I'm beyond grateful, and I would never take her for granted," I admitted. She was right though, I needed to make sure Bella knew how much she meant to me.

"I know, dear. But it's still a mother's job to remind you how to be a good man. It's been hard on you too…filling in for your dad at work and worrying about me. You and your father both have too much concern for me. I'm managing just fine. A few bruises and a clunky old cast isn't much to have to deal with."

I discretely rolled my eyes. There was no use in arguing with her. She knew we all cared about her, and if she wanted to pretend to be fine then I would play along for now. "Alright, I'm gonna go find Bella and let her know we're here. I love you, Mom," I said, kissing the top of her head and passing her back to my father who had appeared at her side.

I heard her asking Bethy how the cookies turned out as I walked away to look for Bella. I found her near the front of the room, setting up the puppet stage.

"Hey, baby. Need any help?" I asked, noticing her struggling to adjust the sides of the decorated cardboard.

"Oh, good. You guys are here. Did your mom make it?"

"Yeah, she's with Dad and Bethy looking for a good seat for the show," I answered, manipulating one side of the stage into a standing position for her.

"Thanks," she said with a sweet smile on her face. "Why don't you all get something to eat. There's plenty of food here. I've got to help the kids get ready. I'll see you after the show." She leaned over and gave me a kiss before darting off towards some kid that was calling for her.

The party was great. All the food was delicious, and the kids had a good time. Mom was happy to spend some time out of the house, chatting with her friends, and I think Dad enjoyed the break as well. The puppet show was really entertaining. The script was created by a collaboration of all the young writers in Bella's workshop group. Bethy made sure to tell Nana and a few of the other volunteers about helping decorate the stage.

The thing I noticed the most during the night was how passionate Bella was about helping the kids in her workshop. It was the first time I had gotten to see her work with her students. I could tell it meant more to her than just spending a few hours a month volunteering. She encouraged them all in ways that inspired them to be better writers. She helped fuel their imagination and swelled with pride at their accomplishments. Simply observing that made me proud to know her.

The next day an unexpected problem arose at work causing our 'shopping and Santa Claus date' to get started later than planned. I wasn't too upset about having to go into work since I had the whole next week off, but I hated to ask Bella for another favor. So, I called my dad. I knew Mom missed Bethy and since Dad was constantly there with her, having Bethy over for a few hours shouldn't be a problem. I let Bella know the change in plans and told her Bethy and I would pick her up before dinner.

When I finished work and went to pick Bethy up, Mom suggested that I let her spend the night so Bella and I could have some 'together' time. It had been a while since we'd spent time alone with each other, so the offer was too good to pass up. I told Mom we would drop Bethy off after our visit with Santa.

It was a weird feeling to be standing outside Bella's door, waiting for her to answer it. I felt like it had been ages since I'd been there. I guess I'd gotten use to just coming home to find her in my apartment. I liked it that way much better.

"Hey! Did you guys want to come in or are you ready to go? I'm starving already. Plus, I've been bored waiting here all alone. Alice and Jasper left early this morning to make the trip to her parents for Christmas." Bella greeted as she opened the door.

"We can head straight to dinner if you're hungry. I forgot all about Jasper going to Washington with Alice for Christmas. He finally gets to meet the parents. I feel bad that you're missing the trip, especially since you didn't get to visit for Thanksgiving. I would have understood if you'd gone to see your dad, but I can't say that I'm not happy about getting to spend Christmas with you," I answered, helping Bella put her coat on.

"It's the first time I won't be with him for Christmas, so I know I'll be a little sad missing him. But Dad understands that it's hard to get time off at a new job, and he said he has some vacation time coming up soon. He's going to try and make it here for a visit after the new year, so it's not too bad," she responded.

I knew Bella's reason for staying had more to do with me and Bethy than her new job, which is why I arranged a special Christmas surprise for her. I talked to Charlie earlier in the week and made plans to fly him out to my parents' on Christmas day.

We ate dinner at New Moon. This close to the holidays, everywhere we went would have had a huge wait time. Jasper's restaurant was extremely busy too, but I never had to wait there. The VIP room was always available.

Bella wasn't lying when she said she was starving. I think I only had one bite of the appetizer we shared before she munched down the rest. Bethy was too excited about seeing Santa to eat much of her meal, but she waited patiently while Bella and I finished ours.

Like all the other last minute parents, we stood in line for over an hour to see Santa Claus. When it was Bethy's turn, she gave Santa the small bag of chocolate chip cookies she brought with her and promised there would be more waiting for him at her house on Christmas Eve. She didn't bother asking for specific toys, stating that he knew what kind of stuff she liked already. Bella snapped a picture with her phone while they were talking, and the photographer took a posed snapshot that we had to wait in another long line to collect.

While I waited in the monstrous line, Bella offered to take an impatient little girl to browse the toy section nearby. As I stepped away from the elf dressed helper with my bag of highly overpriced photos, I was approached by a very unwelcome ghost from my past.

"Hi, Edward," the ghost softly spoke.

I didn't respond. I had no response, at least none that would have been appropriate near a line full of small children waiting to see the man in the red suit. My mind was frantically trying to come up with some way to walk away without her following me.

"Edward, we really need to talk," she implored.

"No. We really don't," I forced out, still looking for an acceptable escape route.

"Is that your new girlfriend over there with our daughter?" she asked, nodding her head in their direction. "I've seen pictures of all of you in magazines."

Hearing her refer to Bethy as 'our' daughter filled my head with rage. I needed to get away from her quickly. More importantly, I needed to get her away from Bethy and Bella. "_My_ daughter is none of your concern. Neither are the details of my life. You should leave, Tanya…while I'm still in control of my actions. There's nothing we need to say to each other," I replied.

"Please, Edward…I don't want to fight, but I do have some things I need to say. This is really important, and it could affect all of us," she begged, pleading with her blue eyes and honey sweet voice.

I glanced towards the toy section and noticed Bella watching our exchange with concern. Bethy was happily unaware, going from toy to toy pushing buttons and watching the animated objects come to life. It only took one look at them both for my protective instincts to kick in.

Why the fuck did Tanya choose now to show back up in my life? I knew the possibility was always there, but I honestly thought she would never want to see either me or Bethy again. What I was about to do was dangerous, but there was too much at risk to walk away from Tanya without resolving some issues. I just hoped and prayed that Bella would understand.

"Give me five minutes. Then we'll go somewhere to talk," I stated. She nodded her head without trying to speak as I walked away from her, going directly towards Bella.

The closer I got, I could see Bella's eyes searching my own for answers. She looked a little scared…a little hurt…and a lot worried. It killed me to know that I was the cause of that look on her face. What she didn't understand was that she had nothing to be worried about. Her place in my heart had been secured long before I even realized it. But how could she know the depth of my feelings for her? I hadn't even told her I loved her yet. I hadn't even made love to her yet. I would confess all of my feelings in an instant if it would help ease her mind, but I knew _this_ wasn't the time for that.

"Bella, I really need your help. I'm so sorry to have to ask this, but can you take Bethy to my mom's right now? She already expected us to bring her by to spend the night after we took her to see Santa. Please, please try to understand. I hate to end our night like this, but I've got to take care of some things, and I don't want Bethy to be involved. In fact, I need to get her out of here as soon as possible," I tried to explain.

Bella nodded and asked a million questions with one word. "Tanya?"

I nodded back and responded, "Yeah. I haven't seen or heard from her since she left almost four years ago. I don't know what she wants, but I'm afraid to put this off. I don't want her around Bethy at all, and hopefully once she has the chance to say whatever it is she needs to say…she'll disappear for good."

"Okay. I'll get Bethy out of here right now," she promised without requiring further explanation.

"Thank you. Bella…please don't be worried. I'm gonna take care of this; I promise. Tanya's not going to be a problem, and I don't want you to be upset," I told her.

We walked over to Bethy and explained that Bella was going to drop her off at Nana's. For the first time in my life, I lied to my daughter and told her I had to take care of something for work. I hated to do it, but my scrambled mind couldn't come up with a better explanation at the moment.

"Take the car. I'll catch a cab. I'll call you when I get home, okay?" I gave her a tight hug and a short kiss. From my periphery I could see Tanya still standing in the same spot I left her, watching and waiting for me to return. I walked towards Tanya while Bella took Bethy the opposite direction.

"So, where do you want to do this?" I asked Tanya.

"Well, I've got a lot to say, and I'd prefer some place a little private. I'm staying in a hotel a couple blocks away. Do you want to go there?" she replied.

"Umm, no. I don't think that would be a good idea. There's an exclusive club several blocks away. We could get a table there that's pretty private." I countered, and she agreed.

We shared a cab to the club. After showing my ID, I requested a private table in the back, and we were seated. I ordered a glass of scotch. Tanya just asked for a water. We both uncomfortably stared at each other while waiting for our drinks.

I'm not sure what I expected her to look like after all this time, but it certainly wasn't the image that sat across from me. My hatred towards her probably had conjured up the idea that she would have to be a hideous looking monster by now. Apparently, the reverse was true. She looked beautiful, soft, sweet, respectable…more like an older version of the innocent high school girl I once knew instead of the over processed, selfish, heartless whore she had become in the end.

Our drinks arrived just before our tension filled conversation began. "I have to admit, I can't even imagine what there would be for us to talk about after everything that's happened between us. So, what is it you felt you needed to say, Tanya?"

"A lot, actually. I know it isn't going to mean much now, but I wanted to apologize for the terrible things I did in the end. You were always the perfect boyfriend. I knew I would never find anyone better, but when I found out I was pregnant…"

I interrupted, "You're right, Tanya. It really doesn't matter now. Those things are in the past. You really hurt me, but I moved on. I made a good life for my daughter. I have a great family and a woman I can love with my whole heart. There isn't anything else I need."

Her eyes dropped to her glass. She studied it with a sad expression before quietly saying, "We loved each other once too. I told you I've seen the pictures in the magazine papers. You looked so happy. I couldn't help but think that it could have been me you were looking at like that. It could have…no, should have been us having a picnic in the park with our daughter. I know I've made some bad decisions and huge mistakes, but it's never too late to try and fix things, right?"

"That's where you're wrong. It is too late. And to be honest, we were never in love like that. I honestly did care about you…the girl you use to be before. I'm sorry for the way things ended too. But some things can't be reversed. The only good that came from us being together was the little girl you walked away from. You signed away your rights, and that…_that_ can't be undone," I said coldly.

"I'm sorry…so sorry that I hurt you the way I did. I wasn't in the right state of mind at the time. I was young and scared. I made the wrong choice, and I deeply regret that now. You might think you didn't love me, but I did love you, Edward. I never stopped, even though I did fucked up things…I did love you," she tried to explain.

"Fuck, Tanya! I was young too. You don't think I was scared? I wasn't ready to be a father so soon, but I made the _right_ choice because I loved my daughter. Don't sit here and pretend you know what love is because you have no idea. I'm sure you do have regrets, but if you're looking for forgiveness or even sympathy, you came to the wrong person," I exploded. The shock of this unexpected encounter was slowing wearing off, and anger was quickly taking it's place.

"Okay. I understand your anger, and I know I deserve it. But I don't want to argue about the past. I just wanted to apologize and discuss the future," she said with a hopeful look in her eyes.

"There is no future for us to discuss. You can do whatever you want with your life, but it doesn't include me or my daughter. My future…well, you lost the right to know anything about my future. It's none of your business now."

"Don't you think Bethany deserves to know her mother?" she had the nerve to ask.

"No. Bethany deserves better," I stated confidently.

"I was hoping we could be friends…maybe work something out. I didn't appreciate the things I had when I was younger. I've grown up a lot these past few years. When I first left, I lived in Vegas for a while. My life was a little messed up and out of control. I didn't know how to be a good person again, after what I did to you and Bethany. I finally straightened myself out and moved to California to start over. I haven't dated anyone in a while. It's been good standing on my own, but I miss what I left behind." She paused for a minute, studying her glass again before she looked up at me with teary eyes. "I think about her all the time, you know? I didn't expect to run into her today. She's beautiful…"

I let out a frustrated breath. Tanya had no idea how hard it was for me to sit here and listen to how much she regretted what she did. I really had no desire to spend one second of my time with her. Even though I wanted to be an asshole towards her, I wanted to resolve things permanently and peacefully without dragging anyone else into the turmoil.

"She's very beautiful," I admitted. "And she's happy. I want her to stay happy, Tanya. I understand your regrets. Really, I do. But I don't share those regrets. I don't want to reconcile things between us, nor do I want to include you in Bethy's life. Like I said before, she deserves better. And legally you don't have any rights as her mother anymore. I don't want to stir up trouble, but I can easily get a restraining order if needed. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yeah," she huffed. "I get it. I was hoping, but…I understand. Look, the reason I'm in New York right now is because the company I work for offered me an incredible opportunity that requires me to relocate here. I almost turned it down immediately. I knew I couldn't handle living in the same city as Bethany, risking the chance of running into the both of you daily. But then I decided to at least check out my options. I planned on contacting you before I headed back to California to give my acceptance or denial of the promotion. If there was even a chance that we could salvage something…any level of…well, just _anything_…I would have taken the job in a second."

"There's no chance of that, Tanya. I'm sorry. I can't tell you where to live or work, but I can promise you that there is no place in our lives where you fit in."

"I see that now. I hope you understand that I had to at least find out if it was possible. Don't worry. I won't cause any problems. I wouldn't do anything else to hurt you or your daughter. I'm going to turn down the job offer when I get back. You don't have to worry about seeing me again," she said with a sad smile. I could tell she was disappointed with the outcome, but there was no alternative for me.

"Alright. I do hope things work out for you in California, or wherever you go next. I know you were hoping for more from this, but I just can't give it to you. Have a good life, Tanya," I said in an awkward attempt to say goodbye.

"Thanks for meeting with me, Edward. I hope your life turns out great too. Your…uh, girlfriend seems nice. She's very pretty…and lucky to have you," she responded in what I assumed was an attempt to carry on with further conversation. _Nope, I'm done._

"Goodbye, Tanya."

I left money on the table to pay for my drink and left the club alone. I took a cab home, only to get in my Vanquish and leave again. I rode by Bella's apartment and saw my Volvo parked outside. I debated whether to stop or not, but decided that I needed a little more time to come down from the emotional ride I'd just been on. I didn't want to unload more baggage on Bella. She'd been so helpful and understanding through all my shit and Mom's accident. As much as I wanted to be with her at the moment, I didn't want to take advantage of her good heart in the vulnerable state I was in.

The past couple of weeks had worn me down emotionally. I had been worried about my mother, overwhelmed at work, ignoring a too friendly new assistant, busy with Bethy, trying to get ready for Christmas, and missing alone time with Bella. Throw in the fucked up night with Tanya and yeah, I was a mess.

I rode around for about an hour, stopped by New Moon and had a few drinks, tried to wipe my mind clear of everything Tanya related, and ended up at home around one o'clock in the morning. I thought about calling Bella, but decided to wait until the morning when I realized how late it was. I crashed as soon as my head hit the pillow.

BPOV

I was pacing, actually pacing, as I waited for a call from Edward. I was so nervous I couldn't sit still. My phone was clutched tightly in my hand. If I squeezed any harder it would probably be crushed to pieces. He said he would call. I waited desperately for the phone to ring.

It was nine o'clock. I had just gotten home from dropping Bethy off. I didn't stay too long at Edward's parents' house. They could tell something was off when I dropped Bethy off by myself. I didn't know what to tell them, so I went with the same story Edward had come up with about work. That garnered a questioning frown from Carlisle. He knew it was a lie, but I offered no further explanation. I said goodbye to Bethy and left as quickly as I could.

The hands on the large clock hanging on the wall mocked me as they torturously made their way around the dial. I glanced at my phone. No missed calls. He said he would call.

Ten o'clock.

_What the hell did Tanya want? God, I hope Edward is okay. _She's the woman who nearly destroyed him with her heartless ways. So many times I had imagined meeting her and ripping her head off for hurting him so badly. When I saw her approach him, I knew immediately who she was by the look on Edward's face. I wanted to rip her head off. I really did. But I had to keep an eye on Bethy and make sure she was distracted enough not to notice the encounter. I didn't want Tanya to even have the privilege of saying hello to her.

The disturbing thing was…Tanya didn't look like the raging bitch I knew she was. Of course she was gorgeous, but she was beautiful if a soft, natural way…effortlessly. Her make up wasn't overdone, if she was even wearing any. Her long strawberry blonde hair twisted and curled perfectly around her face, hanging halfway down her back. She looked harmless and sweet in her fuzzy, baby blue, sweater. It was the perfect disguise for the monster that lurked within.

I continued pacing, waiting for my phone to ring. He said he would call.

Eleven o'clock.

The silence in my apartment emphasized how alone I was at the moment. The solitude wasn't helping my racing mind at all. I needed to talk to someone. I needed to talk to Edward. I just wanted to know that he was okay, that she hadn't done something to cause him pain again.

I wanted to call Alice, but it was probably dinner time in Washington right now. I didn't want to ruin Jasper's first meal at the Brandon household. Alice had been too excited about finally bringing Jasper home to meet her parents. I knew they would love him. He was most likely charming them with conversation over a roast and potato meal Mary had been slow cooking all day.

I didn't want to call Rosalie or anyone else in Edward's family. They would ask questions that weren't my place to answer. I thought about calling Jake, but somehow it felt wrong to run to another man for comfort the second Edward wasn't there for me.

Wait. Edward was still there for me. He was just taking care of a problem right now. He said he would call. I can be patient.

Midnight.

It's been over three hours since I left Edward with Tanya. How much could she have needed to say to him? How long did it take to say "Fuck off, Tanya"?

The silence was killing me, but I couldn't make myself turn on the TV or radio. What if I couldn't hear the phone ring? He said he would call. I checked to see if my phone battery had died; it hadn't.

I wish Jasper was here. He would know exactly the right things to say to calm me down. I scrolled to his number and stared at his name on my screen for a while before hitting the end button to clear the temptation of making the call. I didn't want to ruin anyone else's night with my worries. I was probably overreacting anyway.

One A.M.

Still no call or text from Edward. I gave up pacing and flopped down on the couch, still staring at my phone. Thoughts from throughout the week popped into my head. Spending the whole week with Jellybean had been an adventure I really enjoyed. That little girl brightened every day with her smiles and giggles. I wondered if she would have turned out differently if Edward and Tanya had stayed together in their fucked up arrangement. That couldn't have been a happy life for a child.

_Shit! What if Tanya wanted her back? _That was impossible, right? Edward said she signed away her rights. I don't think there's any way to reverse that. Maybe I should call my dad to find out. He knows a lot about custody laws since he's a cop. _What am I thinking? Now I want to involve my own father in something I'm not even sure is an issue?_

No, Edward said he was going to take care of it. He didn't want Bethy anywhere near Tanya. He was rich and had a team of lawyers. He would protect his daughter at all cost.

Maybe Tanya was desperate and needed money. Maybe she realized how rich he was now and was trying to blackmail him or something. Still, I'm sure Edward would know how to handle that.

_What the fuck did Tanya want?_

Two A.M.

The later it got, the more I was convinced something was wrong. If he was still with Tanya, that couldn't be a good sign. What if she wanted him back? What if she wanted it all back? Edward. Marriage. Bethy. The chance to be a family. Edward once offered her those things in a desperate attempt to do what was right. What if she convinced him she had changed and begged for another chance? What would he do then?

The tears started to fall, and I was helpless to stop them. Edward and Bethy had both become the center of my life. I needed them like air to breath. The thought of someone walking in and taking them away from me made my chest physically ache. Without them I would never be whole again.

Three A.M.

Something was definitely wrong. Ever since Edward and I started dating, not a single night had gone by without a phone call or goodnight text. He had to have known that I would be worried tonight. What if he had left Tanya hours ago and got in a car accident? What if he got mugged and was laying in an alley half dead? Maybe I should have sent him a text earlier, but now I was done sitting around waiting.

I grabbed my coat and threw it on, picking up Edward's keys and jumping into the Volvo to drive to his place. I had no idea if he was home or if he was home alone, but I had to find him. If Tanya was there…fuck her. I wasn't giving up without a fight.

Edward and Bethy both deserved so much more than she could give them. I wasn't going to let Edward be fooled by her innocent looks. No matter what it took, I would convince him that she could never love them the way I did.

I rushed through the lobby, receiving looks of concern from Ben. I'm sure my face was all blotchy from crying and my eyes were red and puffy. I ran right past him without sharing our usual friendly greeting. It was also three-thirty in the morning, not my usual hour for visiting.

Felix hit the P button on the elevator without asking any questions. Once it landed on the top floor, I stumbled out quickly and hurried to Edward's door. I hadn't really thought this through. In my haste to leave my apartment, I forgot my purse with Edward's key in it.

I frantically started pounding on the door, probably waking up the whole building. As soon as the door flew open and my eyes landed on a sleep rumpled Edward, dressed only in his blue cotton sleep pants, I burst into tears again.

Relieved that he was home, alive and safe, I threw myself into his arms and clung to him with all my strength.

"Bella…what's wrong? What are you doing here?" Edward asked, worry and panic in his voice.

I tried to catch my breath and control my sobs, answering in broken sentences, "I…you…was so worried…phone didn't ring…I waited…"

"Bella, calm down, baby. Tell me what's wrong," Edward pleaded as he pulled me inside his apartment more and shut the door.

Suddenly my paranoia kicked in, and I worried that he might not be alone. He held me still near the doorway with a frightened look on his face.

"She can't have you, Edward! You're mine! She can't have you. Either of you. Not you and not Bethy. She can't have you," I blurted out.

"Oh, god! Baby, calm down. I'm here. I'm yours," he answered, understanding dawning on his face. "I'm so sorry you were worried. I should have called. I drove by your apartment, but I was still such a mess I didn't want to come in. But I should have called. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

He held me tight against his chest, stroking the back of my head with one hand and mumbling constant apologies in between kisses into my hair. I reveled in the closeness for a moment before pulling back and wiping my eyes.

"She's not here, is she?" I asked in a whisper.

"Of course not. Why on earth would I bring her here?"

"I don't know. To talk? You didn't call me all night…not even our normal text. I didn't know what to think," I admitted.

Edward dropped his head remorsefully. "Shit! I'm so sorry, Bella. Seeing Tanya again really fucked my mind up tonight. I wasn't thinking clearly, but I never wanted to upset you. I especially don't like seeing you cry over me. Please don't cry, Beautiful." He wiped my tears away with his thumb and led me by the hand over to the couch.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm acting ridiculous right now. I just…" I tried to explain.

"Shhh. Come here," he said, pulling me into his lap after he sat down. "Bella, you have every right to be upset. I put you in an awkward situation, leaving you to drop off Bethy at my mom's while I went off to chat with my ex without much of an explanation. My mind was so messed up I forgot to call you after I left her. It was asking a lot of you to understand what was going on. I'm sorry."

Edward caressed my face tenderly and gazed lovingly into my eyes. "The last thing I wanted was to upset you, but you should have had more trust in me. I told you not to worry. I was going to take care of it. But it's my fault you didn't have more faith. I should have told you a long time ago exactly how much you mean to me. You're the only one I want. You're the only one I'll ever want. I love you, Isabella Swan. You've had my heart since the first day I met you."

I blinked a few times, trying to be sure what I heard was real. "Wha…what did you just say?" I asked in my stunned state.

"I said…I love you. Only you…forever."

As if I hadn't cried enough tonight, the tears started rolling again. "I love you too. So much! I don't know why I never said it before, but I do. I love you, Edward."

He chuckled and gave me that crooked smile while he wiped at my tears again. "Good. Now can you please stop crying? It hurts me to see you cry."

"I'll try," I said. "What happened tonight…with Tanya? I just need to know what she wanted."

He groaned and tapped my leg to let him up. When he stood up, he ran his fingers through his hair and let out a deep breath. "I don't really want to talk about her right now, but I understand why you need to know. I'll tell you everything that was said, but after that…I want you to forget she ever existed." He looked at me for consent, and I nodded. I would gladly forget her forever once I knew she would never be part of his or Bethy's life again.

He sat back down on the couch beside me and turned to face me, grabbing my hand and holding it in his lap. He recounted the entire evening, from where they went to talk, every word spoken, what he did when he left, and how the whole thing made him feel. I listened intently, feeling my heart rate go up when he told me the part about her wanting them back. Panic and rage boiled just under the surface of my skin. Edward noticed my tenseness as he recited the conversation.

"Bella, you're possessiveness is endearing, but you have nothing to worry about. I'm yours," he told me.

"You're mine," I reiterated.

After Edward finished talking, I told him how my night of crazed thoughts went. He apologized again for causing me to worry and promised it wouldn't happen again. We both agreed to erase Tanya from our memories and focus on us.

"You must be tired, love. Do you want to go to bed?" Edward asked.

"I don't think I could sleep now anyway, but I have been wanting to get into your bed," I teased, not really expecting it to lead to anything after the night we had.

Without a word, Edward picked me up and carried me to his bedroom, gently laying me down on his bed. He sat beside me, staring deeply into my eyes and conveying every emotion we shared together. His thumb traced over my bottom lip.

"I want you," he whispered, waiting for my response.

"I'm already yours. Take me," I answered in a quiet breath.

Without delay, his lips devoured mine. Our kisses were full of passion and lust, every breath in between filled with longing and love. My hands dug into the naked skin of his back, pulling him closer. His hands found the hem of my shirt, stripping it over my head. Impatiently, I unclasped my bra and tossed it on the floor with my shirt.

Edward's fingers were threaded through my hair, pulling lightly to cause easier access to my neck. He softly placed kisses down the side of my neck until he reached my collarbone. At that spot he started nipping and sucking, leaving his mark behind. The thought of my skin marked by his uncontrolled desire made me moan. I gripped his shoulders tightly and bit down on the muscle there, causing Edward to moan in return.

I felt his fingers kneading my breast as his thumb stroked my erect nipple. His mouth found the other nipple and teasingly bit and sucked until my body was arching off the bed in pleasure.

"Edward, I need you," I pleaded.

He lifted up enough to unbutton my jeans and lower the zipper. I joined his efforts to remove them. He licked his lips, staring hungrily at my bikini underwear. His fingers slid under the strings on each side, and he slowly drew them down. He kissed his way back up my legs, letting his tongue slide across the sensitive skin on my inner thighs. He stopped just after he placed a single kiss right at my center.

Looking up at me with desperate eyes, he said, "You always smell so good and taste even better. I'll never get enough of you." Then his mouth opened up and covered the sensitive bundle of nerves between my legs. He sucked and moaned, causing me to get even wetter.

"Oh, god! Edward…you have no idea how good you are at that. I don't want to come without you inside me," I groaned.

His tongue slipped out, and he licked in circular motions around my clit. "You won't come until I'm ready, baby. Just enjoy it," he said in that gravely sex voice of his.

"Edward, I need you. I want you now," I pleaded.

He replaced his mouth with his fingers and slid up the bed to lay next to me. He kissed my neck again and bit my earlobe.

"Undress me, Bella," he growled in my ear.

Quickly I scrambled to reach the waistband on his pants, pushing them down until his hard cock sprung loose. It looked too good to pass by, so I took a moment to taste him. I licked the drop of wetness from the tip and swirled my tongue around the head of his dick, earning a shiver and a whimper-like moan from Edward.

"Do you like that, baby? As much as I love doing it?" I asked.

Edward grabbed the back of my head and guided me closer, whispering, "You have no idea how much I like that."

I took all of him in my mouth, slurping up and down and squeezing into his hips with both hands. Edward twisted my hair in his hand and slowed my movements.

"I'm not ready yet, love. You need to slow down," he ordered.

Taking his advice, I slowly sucked and stroked his cock with my mouth. His grip on my hair loosened until he was running his fingers through it lovingly instead of holding on.

"Your mouth feels so good, baby," he growled, his cock getting even harder. I looked up at his face and saw him looking back at me with such tenderness in his eyes. Normally, the act of giving a blowjob was raw and erotic pleasure. But the way he was looking at me made it feel like something much more special to him…like what I was doing was the sweetest gift he had ever been given.

I slowed down more and left a row of kisses along his shaft, as if I was worshiping it. I finished removing his pants and crawled back up his body, pressing my naked body on top of his.

He held my face still and kissed me. Slow passionate kisses set my insides on fire. He brushed my hair away from the side of my face and kissed my eyelids when they fluttered shut.

"Tell me again," I begged when I opened my eyes and caught him staring at me.

He grinned and replied, "I love you. I'm yours. Always."

This time it was my lips that crashed down on his. I started grinding my hips, begging for our bodies to meet in just the right way. Edward pushed his upper body forward, wrapping one arm around the arch in my back before rolling over and ending up on top of me.

He lavished more attention on my breasts, holding most of his weight on his bended arm that rested next to my head. My legs fell open more, allowing him to settle between them. I watched as his long fingers wrapped around his cock and pumped up and down a couple times before he positioned the tip of it at my entrance. He paused, took a shallow breath, and hesitantly started to ask, "Do we need to use…"

"No," I breathed out quickly. "Just you, nothing else."

He nodded and bit his lip, slowly pushing inside me. I was more than ready for this moment, but it almost felt like it wasn't going to fit. I tensed slightly and moved my hips to find a better position.

I think Edward was holding his breath as he pushed forward with a little more force. Once he was enveloped inside me, he let out a shaky breath.

"Fuck, Bella…you're so tight. I need just a minute…don't move."

As he lay stilled inside of me, we started kissing again. He moaned into my mouth, and I started grinding my hips. With a loud growl, Edward began pumping in and out of me slowly. Every thrust buried him deeper and deeper inside me. My nails scratched a trail down his back. His arm tightened the hold under my back, lifting me off the bed as my body arched. Our bodies rocked in a steady rhythm with each other.

Edward grabbed onto my hips as he started to pound into me harder and faster. My head fell back and I screamed in pleasure when the head of his cocked pressed repeatedly against my g-spot.

"Edward! I'm gonna come," I warned.

"No, you're not. Not yet," he answered, lifting my leg over his head and moving to position us on our sides with him spooned against my back. He kissed and licked on my neck while one hand pinched and pulled on my nipples, driving me closer and closer to the breaking point.

"I'm gonna come, Edward! It feels too good," I moaned, almost shaking with the need to release.

The arm that was wrapped around my waist slid lower until his fingers started rubbing my swollen clit. There was no way I could last much longer. If he didn't want me to come yet, he was going about it all wrong.

"Not yet, Bella" he warned when he felt my walls start to tighten around him. He twisted his leg around mine and spread it further apart. He moved his chest away from my back enough to let me twist around to face him. "I need to see your face. You're so beautiful when you come. I want to watch you while your pussy clamps down on my cock when we come together."

"Holy fuck, Edward!" I screamed, thrashing my body against his. His hips rocked against my ass as he pushed in and out of me, hitting all the right spots while still stimulating my front with his fingers.

"That's it, baby. Come for me," he commanded, studying my face for a few seconds before his own orgasm struck. I could feel him pulsing inside me. His cock twitched, his mouth fell open, his eyes fell shut, and he rested his forehead against mine. "I love you," he whispered.

"So much," I replied. "I love you so much."

Tender kisses were placed all over my face. We melted into a mess of tangled limbs, sweaty and out of breath. Our hearts raced together, slowing down as our bodies relaxed. A random thought crossed my mind. I finally knew why all the girls at the club lined up for a chance to hop in bed with him. Edward did not disappoint!

When a small giggle escaped from me, Edward crinkled his brow and bit his lip as he tried to figure me out.

"What could possible be funny right now, silly girl?"

"I was just thinking. So, this is what it's like to have sex with _the_ Edward Cullen, huh?" I teased.

He laughed at my goofiness and said, "No. That was what it was like to make love with _your_ Edward Cullen. Don't worry…if you're curious, next time I'll make sure to fuck you senseless."

_Holy Shit! _Still floating on my high, I pressed my luck and asked, "Can next time be right now?"


	27. Ch27 Christmas

Chapter 27

EPOV

"Can next time be right now?" she asked with a shy grin that made me chuckle.

"Hmm, my girl's not so easily satisfied. I'm not sure if I should start questioning my abilities or thank the sex gods for giving me such an insatiable beauty," I teased, running my finger down the middle of her chest.

` Her body jerked slightly at my touch and she giggled. "No need to question your manhood; you always know how to satisfy me. Sometimes I'm just a greedy bitch, and I can already tell how easily I could get addicted to your body," she answered, eyes half closed as she scooted closer to rest her head on my chest. Goose bumps broke out across my side where she sleepily traced random patterns on my skin with the tips of her fingers. "Bella, I'll never deny you access to my body, but even though the idea of having you again right now is more than tempting…we really should try to get some rest before we have to get up. You haven't slept at all, and I don't want you to be too exhausted to enjoy Christmas. It's already after seven, but I think we could sneak a couple hours of sleep in before I have to pick Bethy up."

"Always the voice of reason," she mumbled, but I could feel her smiling against my chest as she pretended to complain. "You're right though. We should get some rest. I can't believe it's Christmas Eve already. I bet Bethy's going to be too excited to go to sleep on time tonight. Or do you use the whole 'he knows when you're awake' line to your advantage?"

"I always did think that was a creepy thing to tell children…some strange man who plans on sneaking into your house that night knows when you are sleeping and knows when you're awake. It's a wonder kids aren't traumatized by nightmares from that thought alone. No, I don't threaten Bethy with that theory," I answered, shaking my head at the notion.

Bella laughed in the middle of her yawn and said, "Good to know." She stretched her arms above her head, then relaxed back into my side to cuddle. "Edward…you're a little weird sometimes, but I love you so much." Her eyelids fell shut, and she was already quietly snoring as her head bounced with the rhythm of my silent laughter_. My girl was so damn cute! _

"I love you too," I whispered before kissing her head and joining her in dreamland.

A couple hours later, I found myself trying to escape twisted sheets and tangled limbs to answer the phone without disturbing the sleeping beauty by my side. I didn't get to my phone in time to answer it before the voicemail picked up, but the caller ID told me it was my mom. I hit the call button and groggily headed toward the kitchen for a glass of orange juice.

"Hello. Edward?" came my mother's worried voice.

"Hey, Mom. Sorry I didn't make it to the phone in time. Is everything okay?"

"We're fine, Edward. How are you? Bella looked a little worried when she dropped Bethany off last night, and I expected to hear from you a little sooner. Is everything okay on your end?" Mom questioned.

"Everything's wonderful. No need to worry. I'll be over to pick up Bethy soon; I just didn't get much sleep last night so I slept in a little later than normal," I answered in a cheerful tone, hoping to drown her concern.

"Okay, dear. Bethy's been up for a while and she wanted to call you, but I just wanted to talk to you and make sure things were okay first. Here she is."

"Daddy! It's Christmas Eve today! When are you coming to get me? I've got to leave milk and cookies out for Santa!" my little girl chirped.

With a chuckle, I answered, "Don't worry. We've got plenty of time to get the milk and cookies out. It's still morning. Did you have a nice time with Nana and PopPop last night?"

"Yes, Daddy. I had lots of fun. Me and PopPops are getting ready to go to the store for Nana. I gots to go afore he leefs me. Bye, Daddy!" she sang as she handed the phone back to my mother.

"We'll see you soon, Edward," Mom laughed before hanging up the phone.

I debated on whether to wake Bella up or not, but decided to let her sleep while I took a shower. I felt bad that she stayed up all night worrying about my stupid ass when I forgot to call her, so I wanted to let her sleep as long as possible.

After I got dressed, I ran down to the deli on the corner of the street to grab some fresh muffins to bring back to Bella before I woke her up. When I got back, she was still sleeping peacefully in my bed. I brushed the hair away from her face and placed soft kisses over her cheeks. The thing that woke her up was the sound of my laughter when she unknowingly scrubbed away my kisses in an attempt to keep sleeping.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," I teased when she squinted her eyes open.

"Hey. What time is it?" she asked with a slightly scratchy voice.

"It's almost ten. I need to go pick Bethy up, but you can stay and sleep a while longer if you want. I'll wake you up for lunch when we get back," I offered.

She sat up with a small frown and shook her head. "No, I don't want to sleep all day. Besides, how would it look if Bethy came home to find me in your bed?"

"It'll look like her father's dreams came true," I said with cheesy smile.

She laughed and said, "You're cute. But I need to go home and organize some things anyway. I don't even know if I remembered to lock the door when I left last night. I wasn't really thinking clearly."

"Bella, I'm so sorry I caused you to worry. I can't even tell you how bad I feel about that," I apologized, feeling guilty from the memory of her tearstained cheeks last night.

"Hey," she started, gently pulling my face towards hers for a kiss. "Don't do that. Don't start feeling guilty and beat yourself up like that. Everything's good. We're better than good. Besides, I think you more than made up for it last night," she added with a smile and another soft kiss.

"I love you," I told her. It was the only thing I could say that came close to expressing how wonderful I thought she was.

"I like hearing that," she said with a smile. Her expression became a bit more thoughtful as she added, "I love Bethy too, you know."

"I know."

"I know we agreed to erase 'she who shall not be named' from our memory, but I just have to say that last night when I thought…when I was afraid that she might try to convince you that she had changed…I can't tell you how much that scared me. Not just the thought of loosing the two of you, but the idea that she could possible poison your and Jellybean's world made me see red. You both deserve so much better. I'm just so glad you weren't fooled into giving her another chance. I wasn't going to sit by quietly and let that happen…just so you know."

"I think you already proved that when you showed up at my door at three thirty in the morning even though you ridiculously thought she might be here. Nobody could take us away from you, baby. Nobody. Okay?"

Bella nodded her head and said, "Okay. We can go back to forgetting her now."

I nodded in agreement and got off the bed. "Go get in the shower, Bella. I'll wash your clothes while you're in there so you'll have something clean to wear. I told you that you needed to leave some clothes here," I teased as I got up and started gathering her clothes that were spread around the floor.

"Are you sure you're willing to sacrifice part of your fabulous closet for me?" she teased with a smirk on her face as she climbed out of the bed, unsuccessfully trying to cover her naked front with the top sheet from the bed.

I laughed at her weird modesty and teased her some more. "Who said anything about my closet? A dresser drawer, _maybe_. Part of a shelf in the bathroom, possibly. My closet? No way!"

"Shut up, you ass!" she joked back, stumbling over the sheet to try and smack me while her pink bikini underwear tumbled out of the twisted mess and fell on the floor at her feet. She lifted them with her foot and kicked them in my direction. They hit me square in the face before landing on top of the pile of laundry already in my arms, which Bella found hilarious. She giggled her way to the bathroom while I went to start the wash.

After almost setting a world record for the longest shower ever, Bella finally joined me in the kitchen for muffins and coffee. We ate. We talked. She laughed when I teased her about how cute she looked sitting at my table dressed in a towel. I may have spoken out loud when I thought about repeating this scene every morning for the rest of our lives.

"Well, your shower is a lot nicer than mine, but I'm still holding out for the coveted closet space," she joked.

"Bella, I'd give you my entire closet if it meant keeping you here with me forever," I admitted truthfully.

"Hmm, an appealing offer…maybe then you'd be the one sitting here in a towel while you waited for your one set of clothes to dry," she teased.

"Nah, I'm not that shy. I wouldn't need to cover up with a towel," I teased back, adding a wink for good measure.

Bella blushed and bit her lip before hopping up and retrieving her clothes from the dryer, thus ending our playful banter. While she was getting dressed I thought over our conversation. I realized that in a half-assed way I had basically invited her to move in with me. Although unintentional, the offer was genuine. I wondered if she played it off as a joke because she thought I wasn't serious or because she wasn't as serious as I was. Mentally I told myself to revisit the topic sometime after the holidays.

I tried to convince Bella to come with me to pick Bethy up, but she couldn't be persuaded. So naturally, when I pulled up in front of her building I tried for the next best thing. "At least promise me you'll come over later and spend the night again. I don't want you to be alone on Christmas Eve. Plus, my bed might miss you if you're not there."

"I don't know…do you think Bethy would be okay with me staying over?" she contemplated.

I looked her dead in the eye and asked, "Are you kidding?"

She laughed and said, "Okay, she would probably be excited about it, but I wouldn't want to impose on any special traditions you two have or anything. I'm already going to be spending the day at your parents' with you."

"It's not imposing if we both want you there. Besides, Santa might need some help putting a few toys together tonight. _Please_, Bella," I begged, adding the undeniable Cullen pout.

"Shit, Edward. You know I can't say no when you look at me like that. Now I know where Bethy gets that pout from."

I smiled, knowing I won. "So, you'll come over later…and bring clothes to spend the night?"

"Yes, Edward. I'll pack a few things and see you later," she said, giving me a quick peck on the lips and exiting the car.

I carried the smile on my face all the way to Mom and Dad's house. When I entered, they were in the living room watching _Rudolph_ with Bethy.

"Wow, it must have been some late night at work. You just missed lunch," Dad said as his greeting.

"Yeah, uh…about that…" I started to explain, wondering why my dad seemed a little pissed. I knew he would know better than to believe my work excuse, but really…what was his problem?

"We can discuss it in my office before you leave," he ordered with a pointed glare to let me know it wasn't something he wanted to discuss in front of my mother.

"Daddy!" Bethy interrupted from her spot on the floor, "You didn't eat all the chocolate chips did you? I have to have some for Santa Claus."

"There's plenty left for Santa. Come here and give me a kiss," I answered. She quickly did as I asked and resumed her front row seat to finish watching the cartoon.

"Honey, did you want me to make you a sandwich or something?" Mom asked me.

"Sure. That'd be great, Mom. I'm just gonna discuss some business with Dad first. I'll be down to eat in a minute," I said, nodding to my Dad as I started towards the stairs. There was an uncomfortable vibe radiating from him, and I wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.

Following me into his office and shutting the door, Dad took a seat behind his desk and immediately started, "We both know your excuse about working last night is bullshit. Want to fill me in on what you were really doing? Or why your girlfriend had to be the one to drop your daughter off last night?"

"Okay…I knew you would know the work excuse wasn't true, but I honestly didn't think you'd be this upset about it. I was planning on letting you know what was going on when I came over today," I tried to explain.

"Edward, please tell me you're not cheating on Bella. She deserves no less than one hundred percent of your devotion. If you fuck this up…"

"Wait…What?" I interrupted. I was completely blown away and confused by his accusation. First, my dad never cussed. And secondly…_what the fuck? _"What are you talking about, Dad? Why would you even think that I would be cheating on Bella?"

"So, you're not?" he asked hesitantly.

"No!" I immediately yelled.

"I'm sorry, Son. It's just that we've all become pretty close to Bella now, and when she dropped Bethy off last night I could tell something was really wrong. The look she had in her eyes was…well, let's just say your girl's not a very good liar."

Part of me was a bit wounded that my dad thought I could ever possibly hurt Bella, but a bigger part was extremely happy that he loved Bella so protectively. I explained the whole Tanya story to him and assured him again that I would never want anyone other than Bella.

"I apologize for jumping to conclusions, Edward. I should have known better. Forgive me. You're lucky Bella was so understanding, but I still don't like the possibility of Tanya popping back up. For Bethy's sake you should go ahead and contact the lawyers before there's a next time."

"Yeah, I don't trust Tanya either, which is why I already called Marcus as soon as I left her last night. He told me that the sole custody papers Tanya signed for me in the beginning already had a no contact clause in it. If she comes near Bethy again, I could have her arrested for stalking. I'm not even sure if Tanya really wanted to reconnect with me and Bethy or if she was just trying to pave the way to accepting that promotion. I don't really care what her motivations were, but life would be easier for everyone if she stayed on the other side of the country," I explained.

"I'm glad you took care of things. Let's not say anything to your mother about all this. I don't want her worrying, but keep me informed if anything else happens," Dad said in closing. I agreed that Mom didn't need to know about it right now, and we left his office on good terms again.

Bella called me later to find out if I wanted her to stop and pick up dinner for the three of us on her way to my place. She showed up around six-thirty with a 'to go family meal' from the market and one of her homemade apple pies. Bethy was so excited about Bella spending the night, she talked non stop throughout dinner.

"So, is it apple pie for desert tonight?" I asked with a suggestive grin.

"No. Actually, this one isn't for you. It's Emmett's Christmas present for tomorrow. I brought it with me so we didn't have to stop at my place before we headed to your parents," she answered.

"Oh, he's going to love that! It's the perfect gift," I commented before turning to Bethy and saying, "It's getting close to bedtime. We better start getting ready."

"Where is Izzybelwa going to sleep, Daddy? Can she stay in my bed?"

"Well, Daddy's bed is a lot bigger, so it would probably be better for her to sleep there. She can help tuck you in tonight though," I answered, hoping my reasoning would be enough to stave off an argument or excessive pleading.

"Okay, Daddy. As long as she's still here when I wake up. Let's hurry up wif my bath," she instructed as she took off towards the bathroom.

"I'll clean up from dinner while you give her a bath, but maybe I wanted to sleep in Jellybean's little bed tonight," Bella said.

"She kicks in her sleep and you'd probably end up on the floor. I'm a much better bed partner," I called out on my way to help Bethy. I heard Bella laughing in the background. She was probably half serious about wanting to sleep in Bethy's little princess bed. My girl was such a little kid inside.

After the bath, Bethy slipped into a new pair of Christmas pajamas and raced to the kitchen for the cookies and milk. Bella even heated the cookies up in the microwave for her, suggesting that Santa would probably like that. Bethy sat the plate and cup of milk in front of the Christmas tree, and Bella and I both followed her to her room to tuck her in.

"Do you usually read a story before bed?" Bella asked.

"Sometimes," I answered. "Did you want to read a story tonight?"

"Please! Please!" Bethy begged, bouncing on her bed.

"Since it's Christmas eve, I brought _The Night Before Christmas _book with me. I can read that if you want," she replied. Bethy nodded excitedly, and Bella ran to grab the book from her bag.

We sat on the bed with Bethy in the middle. Bella read from the book while Bethy flipped the pages after we all looked at the pictures. Once the story was done, I turned off the lights and left the Cinderella nightlight on the bedside table glowing. Bethy scooted under the covers, and I gave her a kiss.

"Goodnight, baby. See you in the morning," I said.

"Night, Daddy. I love you," she said. "I loves you too, Izzybelwa," she added, holding out her arms for a hug from Bella.

"I love you too, Jellybean! Sweet dreams," Bella said, accepting the hug and kissing Bethy on the forehead. She tucked the covers around Bethy, and I heard her whisper that next time she would sleep in there with her. I chuckled, knowing I was right about her.

"Warm cookies for dessert, Santa?" Bella offered when we made it back to the living room.

"We can't eat them until we're sure she's asleep…or at least until all the presents are out here. She might sneak out here to check," I informed her.

"Oh, I see. Well, let's get busy then."

We both made several trips to the closet, carrying armfuls of wrapped presents to place under the tree. Bella helped me put together some of the bigger gifts while _It's a Wonderful Life_ played on the TV in the background.

"I love my daughter more than anything, but if she had been a boy I could be putting together a cool racetrack instead of this complicated Cinderella dollhouse," I huffed while sorting through about a thousand pieces looking for 'Panel A' and 'Strap BB'.

Bella laughed at me and shrugged her shoulders, saying, "You should have gotten one. Bethy would've loved it still. When I was growing up, Dad always snuck in at least one 'boy toy' in the mix. Like a remote control car or something. Most of the time those were my best presents because he had so much fun playing with me."

"Shit, I didn't think of that. Your dad's a pretty smart guy. I'll have to remember that for next year. Although, I'll probably still be sitting here trying to figure out how to put this thing together. I think it'd be easier to build a real house," I complained.

"You're such a man! Why don't you use the instructions, Santa?" she joked.

"I am!" I argued.

Bella snatched up the instruction sheet and started separating the pieces for me, handing me the parts I needed and directing me like a kindergarten teacher. An hour later, we were admiring a beautiful Cinderella dollhouse after Bella meticulously arranged the furniture within. I added a big red ribbon to the dollhouse and huge bow to the little sparkly pink bicycle I had bought preassembled.

After we ate the cookies, which were nowhere near warm still and a little hardened by the reheating and cooling process, Bella made a little pathway in the presents and laid down under the tree.

"Come here," she requested, patting the spot on the floor beside her. "This was one of my favorite things to do when I was a kid."

I joined her as we lay on our backs under the tree, looking up through the branches at all the twinkling lights. "I don't know why I've never done this, but it is pretty cool," I commented. "Thanks for helping me put everything together."

"You're welcome," she purred, kissing my neck and rubbing her palm across my relaxed dick. "Too tired?" she asked.

"A little tired, but I could be _up_ to speed if you wanted," I said with a tired chuckle before kissing her back.

She giggled sweetly and slid her hand under my waistband to grip my growing body part. "You were serious when you said you would never deny me access to your body, weren't you?"

"Of course. I'm yours. Every part of me belongs to you," I answered.

"So…if I wanted to have you under this tree right now?"

"I'd give you anything you want," I assured her.

"What about in the elevator? Or the movie theater?" she questioned.

"Whatever you want," I reiterated.

"In your office?" she tested with another question.

"Definitely," I answered. She giggled, lazily stroking me up and down while trying to think of another question.

"In the middle of Central Park?"

"I'd find a way to do it without landing us both in jail, but yes." I laughed at her silliness.

"I love you," she said, her hand movements slowly stilling.

"Goodnight, sweet angel," I whispered, closing my eyes and breathing in her scent.

BPOV

Luckily we were able to sleep until at least seven before Jellybean flew in to find us sleeping under the tree. Also luckily, my hand wasn't still shoved down her father's pants. That would have been awkward to explain.

I don't really know what possessed me to molest him under the Christmas tree to begin with. I think I was just trying out my new found freedom of access to all things Edward. The night before had been an emotional roller coaster, and I was running on very little sleep. As much as I wanted another round of Edward lovin', I was just too tired to see it through.

"Izzybelwa! You're still here!" she exclaimed. "Santa came! Did you see him?"

"Wow! He did come. Look at all these presents. You must have been an extra sweet girl this year," I said, hopping off the floor and settling on the couch instead.

Bethy nodded her head to confirm her good girl status and flopped onto Edwards tummy, rolling and pushing to wake him up. "Get up, Daddy! Presents are here!"

"I need coffee," he groaned, pushing himself off the floor and rubbing his back. "I'm too old to sleep on the floor comfortably."

"I didn't mean to fall asleep out here. Sorry," I apologized, standing up to go make some coffee for the grumpy man.

"Can we open presents now?" Bethy begged.

"Go ahead, baby. Dig in," Edward said, motioning to the pile of gifts.

I joined Edward on the couch while I waited for the coffee to finish brewing and watched Jellybean place herself in the middle of the presents to start unwrapping.

"Did you see the huge dollhouse yet, Bethy?" Edward asked, pointing to the tower behind her.

"I love it, Daddy! It's a Cinderella castle. I played wif it afore I woke Izzybelwa up," she answered excitedly. It was then I noticed the furniture inside the house had been moved around.

Bethy ripped open the packages, piling out mounds of clothes, toys, dolls, books, and DVDs. She squealed with delight every time an item was revealed beneath the colorful wrapping, even if it was just a pack of fancy socks. She loved everything she got.

When there were only a couple presents left under the tree, she brought one to Edward and one to me. "Here. These have your names on them, I'm glad Santa knew you would be here, Izzybelwa," she said.

I looked at the square box, wrapped in the same Santa Claus paper as all the other gifts, and saw Isabella written across the tag. I probably looked a little confused as I said, "Thank you," to Jellybean.

Edward leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Bethy would get upset if I didn't get something from Santa, and I didn't want her to think you've been a bad girl so I wrapped up one of the things I got for you too."

I smiled and started tearing away the wrapping. "Ohmygosh! This is so cool!" I exclaimed when I pulled the stargazer illuminating projector out of the box. It looked like a half disco ball covered in a million tiny crystals.

"What is it, Izzybelwa?" Bethy asked, staring at the strange object she didn't understand.

Edward answered for me, explaining, "It's a little machine that lights up the ceiling like the pattern of stars in the sky at night. I guess Santa Claus wanted to make sure Isabella could see the stars no matter where she was at."

"This is one of the best presents I've ever gotten," I said, almost in tears. "Santa Claus sure is a good gift giver."

"You must have been a good girl too," Bethy added. "What did you get, Daddy?"

"I don't know, but I hope it's the new cell phone I wanted," he said, shaking the package and pretending not to know what was inside. "It's exactly what I wanted," he announced after unwrapping the small box and holding it up for Bethy to see.

"I'm sure the coffee's ready now. Do you want me to make something for breakfast?" I asked on my way to the kitchen.

"Pancakes!" Bethy shouted.

Edward laughed and got up to follow me. "I'll help," he said when we reached the kitchen. He pulled out an electric griddle and situated it on the counter before depositing a frying pan on the stovetop. "Do you want to do the pancakes or fry the sausage?" he asked.

"Pancakes," I volunteered. He nodded and handed me the dry ingredients from the pantry while I got the rest of the stuff together. I fixed us both a cup of coffee and started mixing the batter.

Edward sipped his coffee as he stood over the sizzling sausage, and Bethy happily played with her new toys while she waited for us to finish cooking. Something stirred inside me when I took a moment to reflect on the past twenty four hours. While technically nothing had changed, it also felt like everything had changed at the same time. Edward and I had given ourselves to each other completely, both physically and emotionally. 'I love yous' had been exchanged between all three of us, although we had known it to be true before those words were ever uttered. Our relationship had never been in any danger, but now felt even stronger by the mere threat of the possibility. Moments like these…simple everyday occurrences that were taken for granted by most people, now felt like treasured memories in the making. No, nothing had _changed_, but our place in each other's lives had been solidified.

"Merry Christmas, baby," Edward whispered, kissing me just below my ear as he reached around me to pull the plates from the cabinet.

"Merry Christmas. I love you," I said in return as this 'simple moment' was not taken for granted, but instead, meant the world to me.

We all ate breakfast, cleaned up the dishes, cleared the floor of discarded wrapping paper, and showered and dressed to travel the short distance to the Cullen's for Christmas Day.

We arrived around noon, greeted by warm hugs from Carlisle and Esme. Edward and I took our armfuls of gifts, including Emmett's pie, and placed them under the Christmas tree. A few minutes later, Emmett and Rosalie joined the scene.

Everyone gathered in the family room by the warm fire, and Emmett quickly donned a Santa hat and started eagerly passing out presents. When he spotted the apple pie with his name on the tag, he bounded over to me and scooped me up in a tight hug.

"Thank you! Thank you, Bella! I love it!," he praised.

I laughed and wiggled out of his hold. "You're welcome, Emmett. I'm glad you like it." Everyone else laughed at his glee along with me.

Once all the gifts were doled out and everyone had their own pile in front of them, Esme announced that we could open them. The sound of paper ripping and yelps of excitement filled the air. Emmett and Edward laughed and held up matching gift cards at the same time, both saying, "Thanks, bro."

I looked at Rosalie as she explained, "Every Christmas for the past few years they give each other a five hundred dollar gift card to Best Buy. I know it's impersonal, but it's something they both can use and it's kind of become a tradition now."

I heard Esme gasp, and I turned to see her pulling different scarves from the box I gave her. I knew she was self conscious about the small scar on her neck from the accident and I figured she would appreciate an assortment of beautiful scarves to wear.

"Thank you, Bella! These are perfect. They're beautiful, honey," she raved to me with watery eyes.

"You're very welcome," I answered with a smile as Edward squeezed my knee to indicate he was also pleased with my gift to his mother.

Carlisle barked out a hearty thank you to his sons for the new golf clubs and golfing package they had given him. He thanked me for the book I gave him. It was a signed copy of a novel he had been wanting to read. He chuckled at the pink golf shirt Rosalie bought him and thanked her before opening his last gift and engulfing his wife in a passion filled kiss for the portrait of their wedding picture she had commissioned a local artist to paint.

Edward laughed when he opened a small first aide kit from me. "Every good Daddy should have band aids at the ready too," I teased.

Rosalie thanked me for the sweater I had gotten her on our shopping trip on Black Friday. She really wanted it, but thought it was wrong to buy things for herself while we were Christmas shopping. She gave Edward a hug for the huge gift basket of lotions and fragrances from her favorite shop. Mom and Dad Cullen also gave her several new outfits, a pair of boots, and a designer handbag.

Edward and Emmett opened countless packages of clothing from their parents. Emmett jumped up and down at opening a huge box that contained a model train, complete with a track, bridges, tunnels, and a whole town to put together. Edward laughed at him until he opened up a cool race car track. His eyes got big and he looked at his mom and dad asking, "How did you know?"

They laughed and Carlisle said, "You boys never really grew up all the way, so we thought we would indulge your inner child this Christmas."

I smiled and gave Edward a kiss, remembering the conversation we had last night while he grunted at putting the dollhouse together.

His mom and dad also bought me a bunch of clothing items as well as a monogrammed briefcase for my laptop and writing supplies.

"Mom, this is from me, Edward, and Jasper. We all pitched in and hope you like it," Emmett said as he handed his mom a tube shaped package.

She pulled the card off and read it out loud, "For the woman who brings sunshine into our lives…we want to return the favor." She crinkled her nose and unwrapped the tube, popping the top and pulling out a set of blueprints for a sunroom addition to be built on the back of the house. "Oh, my! Boys this is too much!" she started to protest.

Edward spoke up and said, "It's already paid for, Mom. The builder will be calling you after New Year's to schedule a timeframe to start construction."

Esme wiped her teary eyes and got up to hug both her boys. "I love it. Thank you so much. You knew how much I've always wanted a sunroom in the back. Wait until I get a hold of that Jasper. I owe him a big hug too. You boys are too good to me," she rambled on through happy tears.

After Esme's emotional thank you to her sons, Edward picked up his last present and started to open it. I noticed it was the other gift I had gotten him and said, "I hope you like it. You're pretty tough to shop for since you already have everything."

He pulled out the watch with his family crest embossed on the face of it, examining it as he swallowed a lump in his throat. "It's amazing…how did you…where did you get it?"

"I had it special made at the jeweler your mom uses. I told her what I wanted to do and she sent me to see him. Do you like it?" I answered.

"The best present I got this year," he mumbled at my lips before kissing his thanks to me.

Besides Bethy, I was the only one with gifts to open still. She had been steady opening up toys and clothes and still had quite a few things left to open. There were two small boxes in front of me. I noticed one of them had Edwards handwriting on the tag, and I decided to save that one for last. I picked up the other box and read the tag. "This one is addressed to both of us," I said, looking at Edward. "You open it." I pushed the small package into his lap, and he took it from my hands. Obviously, it was from someone in his family, so I'd rather he be the one to open it.

He stripped the paper off, lifted the lid, and smiled. "Thanks, Rose," he said, passing the box to me so I could see what it was.

I pulled out two tickets to the New York Symphony and gasped. "Wow, Rose. That's a lot more than a sweater bought on sale. Thank you!"

She smiled and said, "You're both welcome. There's something else in the box. Look under the tickets."

I giggled when I read the self printed babysitting coupon she had tucked inside. I passed it to Edward and he laughed before thanking Rose again.

"You gonna open your last one?" Edward asked, nodding to the little rectangular box in my lap.

I bit my lip and smiled at him, knowing it was most likely some kind of jewelry. I just hoped he hadn't spent too much on something fancy. I would love it no matter what it was, just because it came from him. Nervously I opened the box and was overjoyed to find a simple silver chain with a beautiful heart pendant hanging from it. The heart was also silver, but with an antique looking intricate design on the front. I carefully pulled it out of the box and dangled it in front of me. As I was about to unclasp it to put it on, my eye caught the engraving on the back. I held it in my palm as I read the words: _My heart belongs to you forever - EAC_

For the millionth time in the past few days, a river of tears streamed down my face. I pulled Edward into a bone crushing hug and buried my face in his neck, whispering, "Thank you" over and over. I was thanking him for the necklace, the words, and for giving me his heart.

He held me tight, caressing my back and answering back in a whisper, "Forever. I love you."

When we finally pulled away from each other, Rosalie and Esme both jumped up to have a look at it.

"Edward, that's beautiful. It's perfect for Bella," Rosalie said as she leaned in closer to see the detail in the design.

Esme was a little bolder as she fingered the charm and flipped it over to read what was written on the back. She bit her lip to stop the tears from falling, and with gleaming eyes she said, "Beautiful indeed."

Edward kissed me on the cheek, kissed Esme on the cheek, and went to sit on the floor with Bethy to watch her finish opening her presents. Everyone else started picking up the shredded wrappings from all the gifts when the doorbell rang. Esme smiled when Edward jumped off the floor to answer it. "That must be your other surprise," he said to me when he left to answer it.

Puzzled, I stood there and listened for signs of the delivery at the door. I heard Edward issue a greeting and close the door. Then there was another voice. The familiar voice of the only other man I loved.

"Daddy!" I yelled, running across the foyer and into his arms. "What are you doing here?"

"Surprise!" Edward said, laughing and stepping back to give us a little privacy to greet each other.

"Merry Christmas, Bells! This one here didn't think you or I should spend Christmas without family, so…a phone call and one damn fancy private plane later and here I am!" he answered, nodding toward Edward to indicate it was all his doing.

"I'm so glad you're here! Come on; let me introduce you to everyone," I cheered as I pulled him to the family room for introductions.

Bethy perked up at the sight of a new face in the room, and once she caught on to the introductions, she bounced over and wrapped her arms around my dad's legs. "Hi, Izzybelwa's daddy! It's nice to meet you," she said before giving his leg one last squeeze and letting go.

My heart warmed when Dad bent down and spoke to Bethy. "Well, hello there! You must be this little Jellybean I've heard so much about!"

Bethy giggled and answered, "Yep! I'm Izzybelwa's Jellybean and everyone else's Bethy."

Dad beamed a smile right back at her and said, "In that case, it's very nice to meet you, Bethy. You can call me Charlie." He bowed down and picked up her little hand to kiss it, just like a Disney prince would do.

The little girl giggled again and pulled her hand away to wrap her arms around his neck in a hug. After she let him go she looked at me and said, "You have a nice daddy, Izzybelwa. You're lucky, just like me!"

Carlisle stepped up and shook Dad's hand. "Welcome, Charlie. So glad you could make it here today." Dad thanked him for opening up his home, and Carlisle explained that we just finished opening up gifts.

"I feel so bad. I mailed your present so you would have it for Christmas. If I had known you were coming I wouldn't have sent it. Did you get it though?" I asked.

"Yep. Opened it this morning! Thank you, Bells. Now I'll be sure to catch the big fish," he commented on the electronic fish finder I sent him. "Well, since _I _knew I was coming, I brought yours with me," he said, handing me a shiny red package.

"Thank you," I replied, tearing open the gift. It was an expensive digital camera with a memory card and carrying case. "Dad, you didn't have to spend so much…" I started to say, but stopped when he scowled at me. "But, thank you. I love it! Now I can take lots of pictures to send home to you."

"Speaking of gifts, there is one that was too big to fit under the tree," Carlisle said. He offered his arm to Esme and asked her to follow him to the garage. Everyone followed behind them and stood shocked at we all stared at the brand new black Hummer that was parked there with a big red bow on the hood.

"Carlisle, what did you do?" Esme choked out.

"Merry Christmas! Your old car wasn't worth the cost of damages, so I figured I'd buy you something safer to drive around in," he explained.

We all remained silently shocked, and Esme stuttered out, "I can't…that thing…it's too big, Carlisle. I'll never be able to drive it. That thing's a tank! Is it bulletproof as well?" She may have been joking about the last bit, but the expression on Carlisle's face confirmed it was true.

Emmett's roar of laughter broke the silence, and he shouted, "Mom! You're gonna look badass in that thing! Come on, take me for a spin!"

Esme started laughing and kissed Carlisle on the cheek. "Come on. Give your mom a lesson on how to drive this thing," she said to Emmett, walking around to get behind the driver's seat. Emmett enthusiastically hopped in beside her. The rest of us watched the tiny woman back the tank out of the driveway before we shook our heads and went back inside. Carlisle looked slightly embarrassed at his over the top gift, but we all knew how hard it was on him when he had to deal with the news of his wife's car accident. That man would do whatever it took to keep her safe, aside from locking her away in the house forever. Esme knew it too. That's why she accepted his gift without much protest.

When they returned from their test drive, Esme thanked Carlisle again, and everyone helped get dinner on the table. Although Esme was doing much better since the accident, Carlisle insisted on making most of the meal, letting Esme help out with the less strenuous dishes.

I sat at the table between Edward and my father and watched the most perfect family dinner unfold before my eyes. The food was excellent. Conversations were lighthearted and playful. The love in the room was visible in the eyes of every dinner guest. _Perfect Christmas_.

After dinner the usual events of relaxing in front of the TV, talking, and lounging in the basement ensued. Dad, and even Esme and Carlisle, joined us in the basement for a while. Dad and Edward played a game of pool. I knew Dad was no expert pool player, but the game was a close one. Which meant my man was taking it easy with his billiard skills. That actually earned him a few more points in my book.

Carlisle beat Emmett in Guitar Hero, Rosalie and Esme sang a couple karaoke songs, and I played with some of Bethy's new toys with her. Edward and Dad joined us in the pile of toys after their game ended. I snuck off to a corner with Edward while Dad and Bethy played with her new doll.

I nuzzled into Edward's neck, dropping soft kisses across his skin. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me gently before adding some space between us.

"Did you have a good Christmas?" he asked.

"I had the most wonderful Christmas ever! Thank you for everything."

"You're very welcome. I'm really glad your dad was able to be here. I knew you were going to miss him if he wasn't. I didn't want you to be sad on Christmas."

"All your gifts were wonderful, Edward. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the things you do for me. But you know I would have been happy with just this one gift, right?" I placed my hand over his heart and kissed his chest softly.

"You give me everything each day that you're with me," he said. "Your happiness was the only thing I wanted for Christmas."

"Please don't make me cry again. I feel like an emotional teenager lately," I joked with him. He chuckled and led me back to the center of the room.

Dad started to look a little tired from his trip, so Edward offered to drive us to my apartment. Dad told me he would be able to stay until Thursday, and I planned to take him out during the week to show him the city. Since Alice was out of town, Dad would be able to use her room. That worked in my favor because it would be easier than sneaking past him on the couch to head to Edward's later to give him his other Christmas present... Me, wrapped in nothing but a big red Christmas ribbon.

I had already made arrangements for Rosalie to keep Bethy overnight, so Edward and I could be alone. When I made the plans, I didn't know my dad would be here, so I had to coordinate with Rose to know when Edward would be away from his apartment long enough for me to sneak in and surprise him when he returned.

Dad and I chatted over a cup of decaf coffee before he headed off to bed in Alice's room. Once I heard him snoring, I left a note that I would be back later and left my apartment in anticipation with Edward's words ringing through my memory…_Next time I'll make sure to fuck you senseless._


	28. Ch28 A RibbonTied Bella

**Before we begin, I would like to thank all the readers who take the time to leave a review. Although I don't reply to every single one, I do read them all. And I truly appreciate any and feedback. So…THANKS!**

**Also, there is ONE BIG LEMON WARNING for this chapter. I may be breaking the rules here, but I don't really find anything vulgar in two people showing their physical love for each other. But, if you are underage or don't like to read that kind of stuff…go ahead and skip this chapter. You won't be missing any of the story plot. **

Chapter 28

EPOV

After I dropped Bella and her dad off at her apartment, I drove home with Bethy to get a small bag packed for her overnight stay at my brother's. I don't know how or why but, Rosalie had somehow convinced me to let Bethy stay over at their house for the night. It was a little strange that she picked Christmas night to have her over, but Bethy was excited to help Emmett with his train set, so I didn't argue.

Once I'd dropped Bethy off, I suddenly felt very lonely. I wasn't use to being without my daughter unless I already had plans, and my girlfriend was busy with her father. Especially after spending the whole day surrounded by family, coming home to an empty apartment just felt wrong.

I stepped inside the front door and dropped my keys and wallet on the table. Without bothering to turn on any lights, I made my way down the hallway towards my bedroom. There was a soft glow coming from underneath the door, and I scratched my head trying to remember when I'd left a light on. When I opened the door, all the air left my lungs as I stood there speechless.

Laying in the center of my bed was the most beautiful angel I could ever imagine. Her dark hair fanned out across the white background of the down comforter pillowing the edges of her silky skin, a contrasting color of Christmas red scarcely covering small sections of her body. She propped herself up by her elbows, capturing my gaze with her soulful eyes. With the sweetest smile, she said, "Merry Christmas, baby."

I bit my lip and willed myself to take a breath, completely aware that no words could ever describe the magnificent image in front of me. My heart was pounding wildly in my chest, and even though my body felt pulled towards hers like a magnet, my feet felt cemented to the floor. My eyes traveled down her body, pausing for a moment at the feathery puffs across the tops of her red stilettos and moving back up her bare legs to the tiny scrap of material covering her sweet center. The bows on both sides of the thin, red silk perched happily on her hipbone and begged to be untied.

A soft voice caressed the air, "Edward, aren't you going to unwrap your last present?"

My eyes continued scanning the creamy texture and curves of her waist. She tugged lightly on the end of the tied bow that covered her breasts. I shook my head and forced my legs to move towards the bed.

"Don't move," I groaned, taking a seat on the edge of the bed and running my fingertips over the naked areas of her body. "Have you ever received a gift that was packaged so beautifully you almost didn't want to open it? But at the same time, you were too excited about what was inside to wait?"

She bit down on the plumpness of her bottom lip and nearly killed me with the lustful look in her eyes. "Don't you want to see what's inside, Edward? Aren't you excited about playing with your new toy?" she whispered.

"Bella…" I moaned, tugging her bottom lip free with my own teeth and sucking it into my mouth gently, slowly, and gratefully. "Don't move," I whispered back in a plea.

Her eyes wanted to question me as I removed myself from the bed and walked over to the dresser, picking up the camera I had left there earlier. For a split second she looked unsure when she noticed me holding it in my hand.

"Please," I requested, and she silently nodded her consent. I raised the camera and snapped a few pictures, capturing her vulnerability and love in those frames. I moved to the side of the bed and snapped several more, zooming in for close ups of her face, her eyes, and her mouth. She smiled and the camera caught that too.

I curled my finger in a gesture to have her sit up and move closer, snapping picture after picture. Again, she smiled, but with a wicked glint in her eyes. She backed away slowly and seductively and rolled over onto her stomach, allowing me to take pictures of her backside. She pushed up on her knees, arching her back to cause her tantalizing ass to be displayed in the full window of the viewfinder. She turned her head to watch me over her shoulder. With one last click of the camera, I tossed it on the bed and wrapped an arm around Bella's hips to pull her close to me.

Growling, I managed to say, "I want to unwrap my present now, Isabella." I felt her body shudder as I guided her to lie back on the mattress. I took one last look at my perfectly wrapped gift, memorizing every detail because I knew photographs wouldn't be able to do her justice.

With one pull on the long ribbon of the bow, her breasts were exposed to me. Both nipples quickly hardened under my stare, either from the chill of meeting the air or in excitement. One glance into her dark eyes and I had my answer.

I traced her left nipple with my tongue while I pinched and rolled her other nipple between my thumb and forefinger. She let out a little whimper and moaned when I sucked her into my mouth. I don't know how, but her skin always tasted like she had been rolled in sugar. I licked and sucked over her entire breast, teasing and biting her responsive nipple, before switching sides and showering the other with just as much attention.

I know Bella likes the way I play with her tits by the way her body comes alive in my hands and mouth. She arched her body, pressing more urgently against my mouth, and I slid the silky ribbon out from underneath her.

I ran my tongue across her chest and kissed up her neck until I reached her mouth. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into her desperate kiss. Her fingers were twisting and pulling at the back of my hair, and my whole body started grinding against hers, enjoying the slight pain and immense pleasure.

"You have too many clothes on," she huskily stated as her fingers moved to the buttons on my shirt. I propped my upper body up enough to let her unfasten each button and slide the fabric over my shoulders. I stopped her by grabbing both her hands in mine and raising them above her head as I dropped back down to kiss her some more. Her nipples grazed across my bare chest and my dick hardened even more.

"Mmmm," she moaned into my mouth and I felt her arms tugging against my hold, trying to reach for me.

I shook my head 'no' against her lips and said, "You can touch me all you want later, sweet girl. Right now I'm still trying to play with my new toy."

She groaned, but I felt her body relax under mine as her arms submitted in my grasp. She was so wound up in kissing me, she didn't even realize I was tying her hands together with her silk ribbon. I fastened the other end to the headboard and slowly started my descent down her body.

Her breasts were begging for more attention, so I let my hands linger a while longer after I kissed my way down her belly. I heard her gasp, and I looked up to see the surprise on her face as she realized her hands were tied.

"How did…" she started to question, but stopped when I quirked an eyebrow at her.

"You okay, love?" I checked. She just bit her lip and nodded so I went back to what I was doing.

The tiny bows holding her underwear together had been teasing me since I first saw them. I bit down on the end of the thin string with my teeth and pulled it undone. I did the same with the second one and used my tongue to push the flimsy fabric away from her bare pussy.

"Now, for my favorite part," I whispered right before running my tongue down the middle of her slit. "Mmmm…always so good."

Bella tossed her head back and moaned my name, jerking her hips and struggling against the ribbon that held her captive. "Edward…I want to touch you so bad."

I shrugged my shirt the rest of the way off and grabbed both of her thighs, pushing them apart and opening her up to me. My mouth went down on her again, tasting every bit of her sweetness. "Bella…so good, love. I could do this all night," I moaned around her clit.

I sped up my movements, my tongue lapping, teeth gently nibbling, lips caressing, and mouth sucking her fleshy folds while my fingers entered her. She tried to speak through labored breaths.

"I can't…Edward…too good…gonna c-c-come!"

I should have slowed down. I should have drawn it out longer. I really could have done it all night, but the urge to just devour her was too strong. I really feared I was going to eat her alive when her hips started bucking wildly, grinding into my face while she screamed and thrashed about.

"Oh, God! Edward! Fuck, fuck, fuck!" she yelled.

Her legs clamped around the sides of my head with a force so strong I thought I might suffocate. I felt the heels of her stilettos dig into my shoulder blades seconds before her whole body fell limp.

"Sorry," she breathed out.

I laughed and moved up the bed to kiss her on the forehead. "Don't ever apologize for having an amazing orgasm, dear." I reached up, untying her hands and softly rubbing her wrists. I laid down beside her and brought her arms forward to examine them for marks. With the way she had been writhing, I was surprised but grateful to find them unharmed. I kissed both her wrists, and she shyly looked up at me.

"I know you wanted it to last longer, but…" she started to say.

I silenced her with a kiss, then said, "No. I just wanted to make you feel good, and I think I accomplished that, so I'm happy."

"Accomplished in a _big_ way," she giggled. I chuckled along with her and pressed my forehead to hers. She frowned and said, "You're still wearing too many clothes." I laughed again and rolled onto my back as she began undoing the button on my pants.

She slid the zipper down and my cock wanted to shout out praise for releasing some of the pressure. She gave him a few strokes before tugging my pants and boxer briefs down further. I leaned forward and took over the task. Once I was as naked as she was, I rolled on top of her and situated myself between her legs. I couldn't wait much longer to be inside of her.

"Ready for me?" I asked, pressing the tip of my throbbing head at her entrance.

"Always," she answered and pivoted her hips to guide me in further.

"Damn, baby! How can you feel so fucking good?" I wondered aloud as I set a steady pace, thrusting deep inside her. Her own thrusts met mine.

"Faster, Edward! Harder!" she begged, pulling on my hair and wrapping her legs around me. I felt the heels of her shoes starting to dig into my skin again. I loosened her right leg from it's hold and slid my hand down to her ankle, letting my finger dip under the thin strap of her shoe to slide it off.

"As sexy as these shoes are, baby, I think it's time to take them off," I explained, hitching her right leg over my shoulder and doing the same with the left one after I removed that shoe as well.

With both of her legs over my shoulders, I stood on my knees and held onto her hips as I slammed hard into her. Over and over again, I pushed as deep as her body could take me and my brain fogged over with pleasure. All I could concentrate on was the immense heat and tightness of her wrapped around my cock.

"Fuck, Edward! You feel _sooooo_ good inside me," she screamed. She was tossing her head from side to side like she was loosing her mind in pleasure. Her fists loosened on the sheets, and soon she was pulling her own hair. "Oh, god! You fucking own me, Edward! You're gonna make me come!" she shouted, eyes closed tight and body arching off the bed.

_Oh, fuck! Oh, fuck! Oh, fuck! _The beast inside me roared with delight at her declaration. My heart damn near pounded right out of my chest as I moved faster and harder, pulling every moan and scream from Bella's body. I loved this girl more than I ever thought I could love any woman, but at the moment, I wanted her too badly to be gentle. _Tonight…I was fucking the hell out of my woman! And she seemed to like it a lot!_

A deep groan vibrated through her body, and she launched forward and wrapped her arms around my neck. I leaned back on my heels and wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly to me as I pumped a little slower while she grinded into me. After a few more strokes, I felt her tighten around me as she clawed into my back, probably breaking the skin in a few places as she tried to pull me impossibly closer. She sucked my tongue into her mouth while I kissed her, riding out her orgasm with muffled moans from us both.

I was right on the edge of following her, but held back, nowhere near ready for this to end. When I felt her relax, I broke the kiss and looked her in the eye to say, "Baby, I hope you know it's gonna be a long night. I don't get bored with my toys easily."

Her eyes widened a bit, but then she smiled and said, "I'm glad to hear that." She started sliding up and down on me while kissing my neck. My legs were starting to go numb in that position, so I tapped her on her ass and asked her to turn over.

She climbed off me and flipped over, positioning herself on her hands and knees in the middle of the bed. "Is this how you want me?" she asked, looking at me with those beautiful eyes.

"You're perfect," I answered simply, referring to more than her current position, but unable to explain the effect she had on me just by giving me her love. I took my place behind her and ran my hands down her sides, loving the way her skin felt like satin.

I leaned over her, threading my fingers into the hair at the nape of her neck and pulling lightly to bring her mouth around to mine for a kiss. I trailed more kisses down her neck and across her back as I massaged her breasts and pinched her nipples, causing her to whimper and start to beg.

"Please, Edward…my body's aching for you. I need you now."

With the palm of my hand flattened on her lower back, I pressed down to arch her back a little more as I lined up at her entrance. I slowly pushed into her, sliding deeper than I could go before. She rocked forward and back on her knees, pulling me out and sucking me in with her movements.

"Fuck! Bella, you feel so good," I groaned, matching her motions and holding onto her hips to help guide her. In and out, our bodies moved together in a perfect rhythm. My balls slapped against her clit as we slammed against each other repeatedly.

"Ahhh, Edward…more."

"Mmmm, baby! You're so hot and wet."

"Oh, god! It feels so good."

"Come for me, Isabella. I'm almost there."

Everything felt too good. I could feel myself loosing control. Wanting us to go over the edge together, I reached around to rub her clit. I rubbed in small circles, moving my fingers faster as I felt my own climax approaching. I buried myself deeper. She grinded into me. With one quick slap of my hand to her clit, she exploded around me. Her walls clenched and unclenched in spasms, pulling me with her. Stream after stream of my hot liquid poured into her as she screamed in ecstasy and I roared with satisfaction.

Simultaneously, our bodies slumped against the bed. I quickly rolled off her, pulling her on top of me and cradling her in my arms. She placed her hand over my pounding heart as she lay there breathing heavily on my chest.

"That was…" she panted.

"Yeah," I agreed, knowing there were no words to describe what just happened. I couldn't remember ever coming that hard in my life. It was more than just a sexual release though. It was as if our bodies were reconnecting, claiming each other like two lost souls that had been reunited.

"I've never felt anything like that in my life," she admitted with a shaky breath.

"You know I love you, right?" I asked, just to make sure she knew it was more than wild sex.

"I have no doubt at all. I love you too," she answered.

We laid there contentedly for several minutes while I rubbed soothing circles on her back. She placed feather light kisses on my chest and hugged me tighter when she noticed how hard I still was for her.

"You want more already?" she asked, raising a brow while waiting for an answer.

"I'll always want more of you," I said, looking directly into her eyes.

She smiled and said, "I love your eyes." Then she traced my bottom lip with her finger and added, "I love your mouth too." She reached for my hands and interlocked our fingers, saying, "And these hands…I love these hands. The way they feel all over my body. The pleasure these fingers bring me." Placing one of my hands over her breast, she released it and wrapped her hand around my dick instead. "I really fucking love your cock," she whispered, squeezing a little tighter.

"It really fucking loves you too," I responded and she giggled. "Ride me, baby. I want to feel you drip all over my cock when you come," I told her.

Without another word, she straddled my lap and sank down on my dick until I was completely inside her. She lifted slowly up and down, pivoting and swiveling her hips before moaning and repeating her actions. My hands rested on her thighs as I watched my cock glisten with her juices while it slid in and out of her. The sight of us joined together like that almost made me come instantly. Almost. I bit back a moan and looked at her face. She looked so beautiful, almost glowing. There was a silent challenge in her eyes as she continued her slow and sweet torture.

"Harder, Bella. Faster," I challenged back and she picked up her pace, bouncing up and down on my hard cock. I watched her tits bounce and sway with her motions, and I couldn't keep my hands from grabbing them tightly. She moaned and threw her head back, still riding me wildly.

I bent my legs at the knee and said, "Lean back, baby," so I could have better access to her swollen clit. I stroked it softly, spreading her wetness around while she continued to grind.

"Oh, god! I'm gonna come so hard, Edward!" she practically yelled as my fingers flicked her clit faster.

"Come on, sweet girl. Let me feel you let go," I urged.

"God, yes!" she screamed. "Yes, yes, oh, Edward! Fuck me!" She toppled over and dragged me on top of her.

I grabbed her ass and rocked my hips into her as she rode out her orgasm. I laid down on top of her, covered her body with mine, and made love to her slowly as we buried our faces in each other's neck. Soft kisses, light nibbles, and hot licks were traded.

"I love you so much," she whispered in my ear.

"I love you more," I promised as we rolled around on the bed, trading places and switching positions for the next hour. Some parts were slow and tender, barely moving at all sometimes. Other moments were frantic with need - hard, fast, and rough.

With each thrust I pushed into her, she inched further towards the edge of the bed until her head was hanging over the side. She clung to my neck, holding herself up until half her body was suspended above the floor. She braced her hands on the carpet, hanging upside down from the bed, seconds before our orgasms collided and sent us both tumbling to the floor in a heap of sweaty, tangled limbs.

"Are you okay, baby?" I asked, trying to steady myself on my own legs as I tried to help her back onto the bed.

"I'm not sure…yes? But I don't think I can move," she answered with a laugh.

I bent over and scooped her up, placing her in the middle of the bed. The pillows had fallen to the floor. The sheets were half ripped off. We were both out of breath and exhausted, lying together and barely coherent.

"I think maybe you broke your new toy, Edward. Or at least ran the batteries out," she giggled, causing me to laugh along with her.

"Sorry, baby. Are you sure you're okay?" I checked again, propped up on my side and scanning her body for damage. "Shit, Bella! I'm so sorry," I said when I noticed the light bruises starting to form on both sides of her hips. The marks were the exact size of my fingers, where I must have been gripping her too tightly. I also noticed a few bite marks and hickeys that I couldn't exactly remember leaving at the time. "Oh, god! Did I hurt you?"

Bella laughed and said, "No, Edward, but it looks like I might have hurt you." She ran her fingers across my back, carefully touching a couple of spots that were sore.

"You didn't hurt me, Bella. I liked it. Although I might end up with a scar from one of the heels on your shoes. Still totally worth it though!" I said, brushing my fingers over her bruises and kissing each mark on her body.

"You didn't hurt me either, Edward. I liked it too. You did wear me out though, and I might have trouble walking straight for a few days. Still totally worth it though!" she replied, copying my words.

"Bella…promise to tell me if I get too rough with you. I don't want to ever hurt you. You deserve love and passion, but not bruises."

"Edward, stop! You didn't hurt me. Honestly. I love you."

I looked in her eyes and saw nothing but love; maybe a little bit of lust too. "I love you too, baby. Satisfied? Or do you need to go another round?" I teased.

"No, no, no. You definitely fucked me senseless. Mission accomplished," she teased back with a quick kiss.

We lay there for a while longer, talking and sharing sweet kisses and soft touches. When Bella decided she could function enough to drive home, I insisted on walking her to her car.

"I don't like you leaving alone in the middle of the night," I said as she was getting in her car.

"I don't like leaving either, but I want to get home before my dad wakes up. Besides, it's almost morning, not really the middle of the night," she answered.

I leaned in and clicked her seatbelt in place before giving her a kiss and telling her to text me when she was safe at home. I watched her drive away and headed back inside. While I waited for her text, I made the bed with fresh sheets and decided to take a quick shower, too restless to lie down.

When the hot water hit my back, I winced a little. _Yeah, she definitely broke skin in a few places, but it was so worth it. _Even though Bella insisted that I hadn't hurt her, I still felt bad about the bruises. I probably should have taken it easier with her, but I knew I wouldn't see her for a few days since her dad was in town. Plus, she really does underestimate how fucking sexy she is. There was no way I could control myself when I came home to that kind of present in my bed.

Remembering how incredible she looked when I walked in, I hopped out of the shower and grabbed my camera. I walked into my study and popped the memory card in the computer slot to loaded the images of Bella. Every single one was beyond beautiful. I looked through them all and picked my favorite as the screensaver.

My phone beeped, and I read the message from Bella.

_Good thing I didn't get pulled over for drunk driving, cuz I really can't walk straight right now. LOL. Sweet dreams, Edward. - B_

I sent a text back before I laid down.

_I love you! Good night, sweet angel. - E_


	29. Ch29 Dinner Party at Edward's

Chapter 29

EPOV

"Bella, are you sure you don't mind? I can call her back and come up with some reason to cancel," I offered.

"What? No, of course not. My dad really liked your parents. I'm sure he wouldn't mind spending a little more time with them. I'll just bring enough to make a double batch," she answered.

"Okay. So, I guess I'll see you both around one then. I love you."

"Love you too, Edward. We'll see you soon."

I hung up with Bella and turned around to see Bethy sweeping all over the dining room floor with her little plastic broom, not that the floor needed to be swept. I guess she was just pretending or playing house. She had also dressed herself in a pair of pink tights and a frilly skirt with a tiara on her head. She looked ridiculous and adorable at the same time.

I smiled and asked, "What are you doing, baby?"

She looked at me as if the answer should have been obvious and answered, "Getting ready, Daddy."

Before I could ask anything else, my phone rang again. It was Bella asking if I had everything to make the salad or if she should bring that too. I walked to the refrigerator to check before I assured her I had what she needed. When I turned around, Bethy was carrying two of her baby dolls into the living room and carefully placed them on the couch. Strangely enough, the dolls were also dressed in frilly dresses with tiaras on their heads.

"Do we have any balloons, Daddy?"

"No. Why would we need balloons?"

Again, she looked at me like it was obvious and rolled her eyes before saying, "For the party, Daddy! Nana said that we were having a party for dinner."

I laughed and told her, "It's called a dinner party, and it's not like a regular party. That just means we invited people over for dinner. And we're not having a big dinner anyway. It's just a late lunch with Bella and her Daddy. Nana and PopPop are coming too."

When my mom called earlier this morning to see what our plans were for the day, I mentioned Bella bringing her dad by for lunch. That was when she invited herself and dad to join us. Well, she didn't really invite herself. It was more like 'guilted' me into inviting them.

"_Oh, Edward. That's so sweet of you to invite them over like that. Bella must be really special to you since you've lived there for over three years and never even had your own parents over for dinner."_

Yeah, I didn't need my mother's hurt feelings on my conscience, so I caved and invited her and my father to join us. Thankfully, Bella didn't mind.

The chime from my phone brought my attention to a new text message from Emmett. I was starting to get frustrated when I read what he wrote.

_Hey, Bro! Just heard the news about your dinner party. Rose and I should be there by two. - Emmett_

"What the hell?" I mumbled to myself as I dialed his number.

"Hey, Emmett. I don't know what Mom told you, but…" I started to say when he picked up the line.

"Hang on a second," I heard him say to someone before he asked me, "Red or White?"

I responded with a confused, "What?"

"The wine. Red or white? What are we having for dinner?" he asked.

"Uh, Em…"

"You know what? Never mind. I'll just get both," he said to me and the person I'm assuming was the cashier at the wine store.

After hearing a couple beeps of the bottles being scanned and the sound of a crumpling paper bag, I assumed he was done with his purchase while I started to speak again. "Emmett, I don't know what Mom told you, but I'm not having a dinner party."

He sounded a little dejected as he said, "Mom said you were having everyone over for dinner…I just assumed you wanted to include your only brother in this rare event. I apologize if I misunderstood. Don't worry about it. I'll call Rosie back and tell her it was a mistake."

I didn't know what the hell was going on today, but I just couldn't disappoint anyone. So, I said, "It's not a dinner party. Just a late lunch. Bella's making baked ziti and salad. Bring both wines and be here by two, okay?"

"Great! I'll see ya in a couple hours," he bellowed before disconnecting the call.

I thought about calling Bella back and telling her to add two more to the meal plan, but decided I probably didn't need to since she already said she was going to make a double batch. I scrubbed my hands over my face, wondering how such a simple thing turned into some big production.

Bella had spent the past couple days showing her Dad all the top sites in the city. It was his first time in New York, so the 'welcome tour' took up two full days. Bella called me each night, completely exhausted but happy her dad was enjoying himself. She wanted her dad to be able to spend some more time with Bethy and me, which was why she planned on bringing him to my place and fixing lunch here so we could all relax and get to know each other better. Apparently, lunch for four was now a dinner party for eight. _It's a good thing Bella loves me or my family would probably drive her crazy._

My daughter was still in her 'getting ready' mode, fluffing the pillows on the couch and arranging a couple magazines on the coffee table. She must have studied my mom's behavior when she was getting ready for company. It really was cute that she was trying to make everything so perfect.

About an hour later, I convinced Bethy to change into more normal clothes and save her 'party' outfit for another time. She threw a fit when I tried to tell her that she didn't need the tiara either, so she was still wearing it when she greeted Bella and her dad at the door.

"Izzybelwa, I'm so glad you're here. Me and my dollies are all ready for the party! Hi, Izzybelwa's daddy!" she shouted excitedly.

"Wonderful, Jellybean! We'll have lots of fun then," she sang back, taking her hand and following her to greet the two dressed up dolls on the couch.

Charlie stepped inside with a bag of groceries in his arms. We greeted each other and laughed at our two silly girls as I led him to the kitchen to put the bag down. I gave him a quick tour of the apartment, and we followed the sounds of giggles back to the living room where Bella had been adorned with one of Bethy's many tiaras.

I gave her a crooked smile and said, "Don't you look cute?"

She gave me the widest, cheesiest smile I'd ever seen and said, "It's a party, right? I didn't want to be underdressed for the occasion."

Charlie laughed and joined Bethy and her dolls on the couch to watch cartoons on the television while I followed Bella into the kitchen.

"So, what time are your parents getting here?" she asked as she unloaded the contents of the grocery bag onto the counter.

"They should be here soon. Mom said they were going to stop and pick up something to bring for dessert. Uh…sorry, but I forgot to tell you that Em and Rose are coming over too. He heard about this little get together from Mom and felt let out, so I told him they could come. I hope that's okay," I replied, inching closer and wrapping my arms around her to pull her in for a quick kiss.

"That's fine. There should be more than enough food," she said, filling a pot with water and setting it to boil on the stove for the noodles.

"Need any help?" I offered.

"Nope," she answered with a smile. "You go chill out and just answer the door when everyone gets here."

I had time to give her one more kiss before the doorbell rang and I went to answer it.

"Hey, honey," Mom greeted me with a kiss as she came through the door.

My dad, the comedian, followed her in, saying, "Nice place you've got here, son." Of course he was joking; he has been here before. Although, now that I think about it, it probably was only once when I first got the place.

"Come on in, guys. Bella and her dad are already here, and Emmett and Rose should be on their way," I said.

"Oh, good. I'm so glad you decided to invite your brother. I'd hate for him to feel left out," Mom replied in that sweet, motherly tone.

"Uh huh," I mumbled while Dad chuckled. He knew this whole thing was out of my hands.

Not long after that, Emmett and Rosalie arrived with the bottles of wine. Rosalie helped set the table while Bella placed the breadsticks and salad out. Bella called everyone to start eating while we waited on the ziti that was almost finished baking. Once it was finished, she served it with a special pepperoni sauce she had made.

Everyone complimented Bella on how delicious everything was while Emmett finished off the dish with his third helping. I was a little disappointed there wouldn't be any leftovers for my fridge, but at the moment I was completely stuffed. I think we were all too full and decided to have a break before dessert.

Mom helped carry the dishes to the kitchen while Bella and Rosalie started cleaning up. I felt weird letting Bella do all the work when it was my apartment and mostly my family here, but she insisted that I entertained everyone else in the living room.

"Dude! I can't believe you still don't have a gaming system here. No Xbox or even a Wii? How is Bethy suppose to get good enough to beat me at Mario Kart if she can't even practice at home?" Emmett shouted as he crouched in front of the TV looking for video games that weren't there.

"I don't need all that stuff here, Emmett. Bethy's not old enough to want to play video games all the time, and we all usually hang out somewhere else for stuff like that," I explained.

"Well, I know that's how it _use_ to be, but now that Bella's in charge of our entertainment venues you need to be prepared. Use that gift card I gave you for Christmas and hook this place up," he countered.

I shook my head, but agreed that maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. "Alright, the next time you come over I'll try to have everything to meet your standards. Until then…here. You can play this," I said, tossing him the _Candyland _box Bethy and I were playing with earlier.

"Awesome! Who wants to play?" he asked, taking the colorful gingerbread men out of the box and placing them on the game board. "I'm blue!" he announced to the room.

Dad laughed, but joined him and Bethy in playing. I sat beside Mom and joined her conversation with Charlie about all the places Bella had taken him to see in the city.

When the doorbell rang again, I had a puzzled look on my face until Bella said, "Oh, that's probably Alice and Jasper. She sent me a text when they got off the plane to let me know she was on her way home. I told her we were all over here if they wanted to stop by for a little bit. I forgot to ask you though…sorry."

She gave me a pleading look, silently asking me not to be mad, but I just waved her off and told her it was fine. I was actually looking forward to seeing Jasper and hearing about his trip to meet Alice's family.

"Welcome back! Come on in," I said when I opened the door.

Alice gave me a hug, said she missed everyone, and started tossing out compliments about how nice the apartment was. Jasper stopped in the doorway, leaned his head in to see everyone hanging out and raised a brow to question what was going on at my place. I smiled and shook my head, unable to answer him with a simple explanation. He chuckled and walked on in to catch up with everyone.

Mom was the first one out of her seat to give Jasper a hug. She kissed him on the cheek and thanked him for his part in her Christmas present, adding, "You really didn't have to do all that for me, but I love it."

"Don't pretend you don't deserve it, Momma C. You know how much we all love you," he said in return.

Bella ran over to give Alice and Jasper a hug and apologized for not having any food left over. They both said they weren't really hungry after the long flight, but agreed to join us for dessert. Before Alice sat down, she begged Bella to show her around the rest of the apartment. Bella looked to me for approval first, which wasn't necessary in my opinion, but I guess she was trying to be respectful to me since she knew I never had anyone but family here before.

I was leaning against the kitchen bar as the evening started winding down. I looked around my apartment at the separate activities taking place. Emmett and Jasper were engrossed in a tie breaker match of Candyland, Mom, Dad, and Charlie were drinking coffee and talking at the dining room table, Alice and Bethy were playing tea party with her dolls on the floor, and Bella and Rose were eating dessert at the other end of the table. I had to smile at the realization that my once calm and empty apartment never felt more like a home than it did after Bella came into the picture.

Bella caught my smile and walked over to me with her fork raised to offer me the last bite of tiramisu. She stood there with the sweetest smile on her face and a crookedly placed tiara on her head as I swallowed the bite from her fork and gave her a sticky kiss. _It's funny that no one even questioned the presence of those silly crowns today, but…why would they? It's a party, right?_

BPOV

Edward looked so cute when Dad and I arrived at his place. His hair was a bit of a mess, like he had been running his fingers through it and tugging at the ends. That was something I noticed he did whenever he was frustrated or nervous. I thought he got along well enough with my dad that he wouldn't be nervous about spending time with him now, so maybe it was just the idea of having a bunch of people in his apartment at one time. _Now that I think about it, that was probably a pretty big deal for him._

I really wanted Dad to be able to spend a little more time getting to know Edward and Bethy even though he already approved of Edward now, and Bethy had captivated his heart the first day he met her. I loved Edward's family too, so the fact that they wanted to be included was fine by me. It ended up being another wonderful day spent with all the people who were important to me.

Dad and I were actually the first to leave, followed by Alice and Jasper who were staying the night at Jasper's place so Alice didn't have to kick my dad out of her room on the last night of his visit.

Edward and I had plans to go out to dinner after I dropped my dad off at the airport. Edward had offered him the use of the company plane for his return trip, but Dad insisted that he had done way too much already and that a commercial flight would be just fine.

It was harder than I thought, saying goodbye to my dad after such a great visit with him. Since my move to New York, I had missed him a lot, but trying to settle into a new place and finding the right job had kept me busy. Whenever I went back to visit my dad it wasn't that hard to leave because I knew the comfortable, familiar surroundings would basically still be the same the next time I came back.

This time was different. This was the first time my dad had come to visit me, and it was nice getting to mix him in with my new life here. I had everything I wanted in one spot for a change. I knew once he got on that plane, it would probably be a long time before I had that again.

I was almost home when I got called into work to cover a house fire that was in progress, so I turned my car around and called Edward to cancel our dinner date. After about a twenty minute drive to the site, any sadness I had been feeling was nothing compared to the heart wrenching scene I pulled up to.

Both sides of the street were lined with fire trucks and a few ambulances. There were police officers directing the traffic away from the site where the two story house was completely engulfed in flames. The car sitting in the driveway looked like a charred heap of melted metal. There were several rows of firemen dragging hoses across the front lawn, policemen barking orders and keeping onlookers at bay, and EMT personnel rushing around to help those that were injured.

I hesitantly got out of my car, not fully prepared to witness the tragedy and loss of the family helplessly huddled at the edge of their yard. I noticed a large group of neighbors gathered in the yard across from the burning house. Some were crying, some were watching in disbelief, and others were trying to offer their assistance in any way.

When I spotted the photographer I had worked with a few times at the paper, I made my way over to join him and the officer he was talking to.

"Hey, Sam. Have you already gotten the shots you needed or did you just get here?" I asked.

"No, I've already taken a few, but I'll probably be hanging around until it's over to catch what I can," he replied.

I nodded my head and started asking a few questions to the officer. He gave me the details of what he knew, and I moved on toward a few of the firefighters in the background. I made sure to stay out of the way and kept my questions to a minimum, knowing they all had a job to do too.

Much of the flames had been extinguished, but you could still feel the heat all the way at the edge of road where I was standing. Poisonous fumes tainted the air as dark clouds of smoke were bellowing towards the sky while a rain of ashes floated down around us.

The wailing cry of a woman brought my attention to the back of the ambulance with flashing lights. A man, who I assumed was her husband, was being loaded into the back by several of the medics. They were quickly hooking up machines and an oxygen mask to their patient. As they were closing the doors, the woman fell to her knees in tears and had to be helped out of the way by other medics.

Behind them, a teenage boy was holding a little girl in his arms. He was wiping the tears on her cheek while she hung onto the arm of a slightly scorched teddy bear. She was so tiny; she couldn't have been much older than Bethy. That thought immediately caused me to break down in tears.

More medics escorted the three remaining family members into another ambulance, turning on their lights and siren to hurry them to the hospital. When the lights faded into the distance, I gathered the remaining details I needed for the article and found Sam to let him know I was leaving. He told me he was staying until the end and would call me with any remaining details I should report.

It took me a few minutes to clear my head enough to drive away. In the confines of my small car, the smell of soot on my clothing dominated the fresh linen smell of the air freshener I used. My thoughts kept drifting to the images of the distraught wife, the teenage son, and the small girl with the damaged teddy bear. I couldn't go home without knowing they were okay, so I started my car and headed toward the nearest hospital.

I hadn't thought about what I was going to say or do once I got there, but when I saw the glassy-eyed mother and her son sitting in the waiting room, I just reacted.

"Hi, I'm Isabella Swan. I was at the site…um, your home during the fire. I just wanted to make sure you were all okay. I'm terribly sorry for everything you must be going through right now, and I just wanted to let you know that if there's anything I can do to help…" I announced, slowly taking a seat beside the woman.

She looked at me briefly, barely acknowledging I had spoken before staring at the wall in front of her again. "How…how is your little girl? Is she okay?" I asked, motioning towards the bear she was holding in her lap.

"She's…" her voice cracked when she started to speak. "She's going to be fine, I think. With her being so small, they were afraid of the amount of smoke she might have inhaled. They're doing some test now to make sure everything's okay." Her voice came out just above a whisper. She lifted the bear in her lap and added, "This was her favorite thing. She wouldn't leave the house without it, but they won't let her have it because of the fumes and the soot. We'll probably have to throw it away now." Then she fell apart with sobs. I knew the bear wasn't what caused her to break down, but I shook my head and promised her I would find someone who could clean it and restore it for her.

Her son rubbed her back soothingly and whispered, "She's going to be okay, Mom. Everything will be okay."

She nodded her head and started chanting, "He has to be okay. He has to be. I don't know what to do if…he has to be okay."

I knew she was referring to her husband, and I felt so helpless to comfort her in that moment. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I asked, "Have you heard anything from the doctors? I'm sure they're taking excellent care of him."

She nodded again and clasped her son's hand tightly. When she started to speak again, her voice was a little stronger. "He's such a good man. So strong. He's always been the strong one. Always tries to take care of us. It's just a stupid stuffed bear, but he would have done anything to keep Sarah happy."

I realized that his injuries must have occurred mostly from saving his daughter's favorite toy. His heart was in the right place even if his head wasn't. Before I could respond, she shook her head and continued with a shaky voice.

"But didn't he know? Didn't he know we couldn't be happy if something happens to him? A bear can be replaced, but not a daddy."

"Dad's going to be okay too, Mom," the boy cried. "You know he would never leave us."

She squeezed his hand and tried to smile. "You're right, honey. Dad would never leave us."

"I know I'm not a doctor and I don't know all the details, but the medics at the scene seemed confident that everyone who was injured would make it through just fine," I interjected. She questioned me with her eyes, and I explained, "I'm a journalist with the _New York Times_. I had to ask a lot of questions to report the story. Don't worry; I'm not trying to exploit your family in any way. The article will be just the basic facts about the fire."

"Do you know what started the fire?" she asked.

"Well, the fire marshal will still have to conduct an investigation to confirm it, but from the evidence they gathered already, they're pretty sure it started from the furnace room," I told her.

"Oh, god!" she exclaimed, covering her face with both hands. "It's an old gas furnace. We had some trouble with it, so we called out a repair man. He said it needed to be replaced, but he fixed it enough to get it working again. We should have just…"

"It's not your fault. I'm sure you both thought it was safe enough to use still after it was repaired. They're not even sure what the cause was yet. Don't worry yourself over it now. It's going to be okay," I tried to reassure her.

"It's just…my husband lost his job almost a year ago. He's been looking every day, but there's not much out there. Unemployment doesn't pay all the bills, and we've pretty much ran through our savings at this point. Normally, if something needed to be replaced…it's never been an issue before," she spouted. "God, I just hope he's okay. I don't know what we're going to do. I can't do this alone. We have insurance, but who knows what that will cover or how long it will take. Our house, our car, everything we own is gone. I'm sure there are shelters…" she trailed off, her body wracking with sobs again.

"No, no. Don't worry about things like that," I tried to comfort her. I couldn't even imagine everything she must be going through, but I knew material things should be the least of her worries right now. I didn't have the funds to help her out, but someone I knew did. So I did something I probably shouldn't have done without asking, but I couldn't sit there and do nothing to help.

"Don't worry about money. I'm sure the insurance will cover almost all of your expenses. Until you get things settled with them, I'll do whatever I can to help you out. I don't want your family to have to go through any more hardship than you already have," I offered.

"What? No, I can't accept…you don't even know us. We'll figure something out," she said.

"You're right; I don't know you, but I saw what you lost today. I know it's going to take a while to get back on your feet, and if I'm in a position to help…"

She shook her head, cutting me off from offering again. "I'm sure you have your own expenses, and it's not your responsibility. I appreciate the thought, but I can't, in good conscience, let our troubles become a hardship for someone else. Thank you though," she stated confidently.

I completely understood her reluctance to take help from a stranger because I would have a hard time accepting that kind of offer myself, but seeing their devastation firsthand and hearing how hard they had already been struggling made me adamant about helping. "Please, I want to help. I'm not trying to buy you a new house, but I can help you get started out. I don't have a lot of money, but my boyfriend has plenty of financial resources and I know he would want to help out too. His mother is involved in a lot of charitable organizations, so I can help you find other resources you might need as well. I just don't want you going through this alone."

She didn't interrupt me, so I took a chance and dug into my purse to retrieve my keys. I slid the Honda key off the ring and pressed it into her hand, explaining, "There's a Honda Civic parked on the second level of the parking garage. It's nothing fancy, but it's a good, economical car. You can use it for as long as you need to. I have something else I can drive, so don't worry about that." She started to shake her head and held the key out for me to take back, but I refused. "No. It's there for you to use. I don't need it."

I started to get up from my seat, and she actually looked a little panicked that I was leaving. "I'm just going to go get us a couple of drinks. I'll be right back."

As soon as I got around the corner, I started looking for the hospital gift shop, hoping they had what I was looking for. Once I found it, I started checking things off my mental list as I collected them. I stopped at the ATM machine and took out the maximum of six hundred dollars. It took me a few minutes to set up the prepaid phone before I made it back to the waiting room. The mother and son both smiled at me when they looked up and saw me walking towards them with my arms full of drinks and snacks.

I took my seat again and handed the bag of snacks and drinks to the son. I handed a coffee to his mom and dug into the other bag for the cell phone I had bought. "Here. Take this phone. You're going to need a way for people to contact you…the doctor's, the insurance company…whoever. It's just one of those prepaid phones, but I already activated it and programmed the number into my cell so I can get in touch with you. It's paid up for a month, so that's a start."

She took the phone and simply said, "Thank you."

I smiled and went on to hand her the money. I knew that would be harder to get her to accept, but I made sure she understood. "This is all the cash I could get out of the machine at one time. It's only six hundred dollars, but that should be enough to get you checked into a hotel for now. There's one that rents two bedroom efficiencies a couple blocks from the hospital, so try that one first. Use the money for a deposit, or food, or whatever you need right away. I'll call you in the morning and meet back up with you. We'll figure out what you need and you won't have to worry about anything other than getting your family healthy and back together again. Okay?"

With tears spilling down her face, she nodded her head and breathed out a soft 'thank you'. Her son reached over to shake my hand and said, "Thank you so much. You don't know what this means to our family."

"You're very welcome. Like I said, none of you have to go through this alone. I'm happy to help," I replied.

"Oh, umm…I didn't even introduce myself yet. I'm Maria Evans, and this is my son Jack. Sarah is my little girl, and my husband's name is Russ," Maria explained, shaking my hand.

'It's nice to meet you. I think I already introduced myself, but you can call me Bella."

A nurse entered the waiting room and called for Mrs. Evans to take her back to her daughter's room. I stood up with Maria and Jack and told them I would call in the morning to meet up again. I also made sure Maria knew my number was already programmed in the phone I gave her and that she should call me if she needed anything.

On my walk to the parking garage, I realized I had basically just given my car away, so I stopped to call a cab instead. Even though I didn't actually have another car to drive, I didn't regret my actions at all.

As soon as I got into the cab, my phone rang. When I answered it, Sam told me he had just left the scene of the fire and filled me in on the last details. I thanked him and told him I would sent my story over to go along with his photos before the morning print was set.

I should have been on my way home to write up the article and get it sent to press, but I found myself giving the driver Edward's address instead. After the evening I had, I needed to see him. Plus, I needed to ask for his help that I kind of already offered Maria.

Without thinking, I let myself into his apartment with the key I still had. Everything was quiet; it was too late for Bethy to still be awake, and Edward must have been in his room because the front of the apartment was empty. I walked quietly down the hallway and stopped in the open doorway to Edward's bedroom. He was sitting against the headboard of his bed, reading a modern technology magazine.

I stood there silently drinking in the sight of him with his chest bare and blue lounge pants relaxed on his hips. In my thoughts, I compared myself to Maria and her family. I knew that if I ever lost all my worldly possessions, the man in that bed and the little girl in the other room were the only things I would cling to. I said a quick prayer for Maria's family before stepping into the room.

"Hey! I didn't know you were coming over. I'm glad you did though," Edward smiled.

"I'm glad I did too. I missed you," I replied with a sad smile.

"What's wrong, baby? Bad night at work?" he asked, opening his arms to welcome me in for a hug.

"You could say that," I answered, snuggling into his warmth.

He pulled away with a frown and said, "Baby, what happened? You smell like a dirty fireplace."

"Yeah," I mumbled, worming my way back into his embrace.

He held me close, kissed the top of my head, and smoothed down the back of my hair. "Bella? Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"Yes. I'm just so drained. I really need you to hold me right now."

"Okay, love," he answered. Without asking anymore questions, he gave me what I needed.

The security of his arms calmed me. After a few minutes, I pulled away and told him about my assignment. I explained how I went to the hospital to follow up on Maria's family and how much the entire ordeal had effected me.

"I sort of gave her my car and some money before I left," I said sheepishly.

Edward bit his lip and stared at me for a minute while he processed what I had told him. "You gave away your car?"

"Mhmm. Well, I told her she could use it for as long as she needed to. Edward…they lost everything! Everything they owned! What is she suppose to do? How is she going to take care of her kids, without any help, while her husband's in the hospital? I couldn't drive myself back to my comfy apartment and just pretend there wasn't a family out there suffering like that."

I thought he was going to ridicule me for making such a rash decision, or give me some kind of 'you can't save the world, Isabella' speech, but I should have known better. This was Edward. The man that sacrificed his own happiness to appease his cheating pregnant girlfriend. The man that gave his best friend a shit load of money to open his own restaurant. The man that just kissed me and said, "So, I guess we need to go shopping so I can buy you a new car now?"

"What? No! I don't need you to buy me a new car. I'll just…walk, or take a cab or something"

He actually laughed at me and said, "Oh, it's okay for you to give a car to a perfect stranger, but I can't give my perfect girlfriend the same kind of gift?" He quirked an eyebrow before continuing, "Because I need the Volvo to fit both my beautiful girls in, and there's no way in hell I'm letting you drive my Vanquish."

"That's not what I meant! I'm just saying that I don't really need a car right now, but I might need my rich boyfriend to bail me out of a promise I made to Maria. If said boyfriend is willing," I replied.

Edward pulled me off the bed as he stood and answered, "First let's get you washed up before you ruin my sheets with your dirty clothes. Then I'll loan you something of mine to wear since you never stocked my house with clothes for yourself. After that, your rich boyfriend will do anything he can to help you out."

He led me to his bathroom and started the shower before stepping out of his pants and undressing me afterwards. He stepped into the shower, taking my hand to help me in. The hot water rinsed away the grime as Edward meticulously soaped up every inch of my body with his shower gel. His hands were gentle and loving as he massaged the shampoo into my hair and administered innocent kisses to my lips.

Once I was clean and wearing a pair of Edwards boxers and a soft t-shirt from his closet, we laid down in bed while he listened to my ideas of helping Maria's family.

"Am I being ridiculous by offering help I really can't afford? I don't really know what I'm doing. I figured you or Esme would know more about how to help than I do, but I just couldn't leave without doing something," I questioned.

"Baby, of course you're not being ridiculous. One of the reasons I love you is because you have such a good heart. It's hard to save the world, but you've got to start somewhere, right? I know you don't have the money to do everything you want to do to help, but there are a lot of resources available. I know my mom would be more than willing to help, and so would I. When are you planning on seeing her again?"

"I told her I would call her in the morning. The sooner I know they'll be taken care of, the better I will feel. Baby, you should have seen Sarah. She was so little and scared. Now everything she's ever known is gone. It was awful. I know bad things happen everyday, but this was the first time I was so close to it. I hope I don't have to cover too many more stories like that. I don't know if my heart can take it," I told him.

"I wish you didn't ever have to see things like that, but in your line of work it's bound to happen again. Let's just get through one thing at a time," he whispered, pulling me closer against his chest and wrapping the blankets around us. "Get some rest, love. We'll make sure Maria and her family are taken care of first thing in the morning."

"Thank you," I answered, pressing a gentle kiss over his heart. Just as I was drifting off to sleep, it occurred to me that I hadn't turned in my article or even written it up yet. I bolted out of bed, saying, "Oh, no. I forgot to write up the article and send it over! I haven't even had this position that long, and I'm already screwing up. I'm gonna end up getting fired."

I'm not sure, but it almost sounded like Edward mumbled something along the lines of, "That might not be such a bad thing." I didn't worry with questioning him about it. Instead, I asked if I could borrow his laptop. He told me I could just use his office if I wanted to, and I took off down the hallway to try and meet my deadline. I finished with about twenty minutes to spare and emailed it to my work before crawling back in bed with an already asleep Edward.

When I woke up the next morning, Edward was already dressed and on the phone with his mom. I followed his voice toward the kitchen where he was scrambling some eggs and explaining Maria's situation to Esme. He paused to give me a quick kiss and nodded toward the full coffee pot. I grabbed two cups and poured coffee for both of us while he finished up his conversation.

"Morning, baby. Did you get enough sleep?" he asked after he ended his call.

"Yeah, I did. Where's Bethy? Is she still asleep?" I replied.

Edward chuckled and said, "No, she's up as soon as it's light outside. Rosalie came and picked her up so we could get together with Mom and work out the details of helping Maria. She's already checking into things and said to give her a call whenever we're ready to meet up."

Edward and I ate breakfast and cleaned up together. When we went into the bedroom to get dressed, he pulled out an outfit on a hanger and handed it to me. I eyed it suspiciously, and he said, "I asked Rosalie to stop and pick up a couple of outfits for you. There's no way you could have worn the clothes you had on yesterday. She also grabbed a few undergarments for you as well." He walked over to his dresser and pulled open one of the top drawers, displaying an assortment of bras and panties.

I was speechless, surprised, and thankful. I did the only thing I could think of, which was planting a big, sloppy kiss on his mouth.

"Mmmm. Get dressed, baby. We need to leave soon," he ordered with a light smack on my ass as he walked away. My Edward is so thoughtful and sweet one minute, and playfully domineering the next.

I called Maria to find out where she wanted to meet us and was pleased to find out Sarah had been released from the hospital earlier that morning. Maria and the kids had used the money I gave her to check into one of the hotel efficiencies near the hospital. The doctor's expected her husband to stay in the hospital for at least a couple more weeks while his burns healed and lowered the risk of infection. He also had a broken collar bone, but the smoke damage to his lungs wasn't anywhere near as bad as they originally suspected.

Edward and I picked up Esme and met Maria and her kids at their hotel room. When Maria opened the door for us, she greeted me with a big hug. After glancing over my shoulder at Edward, her eyes grew wide, and she looked at me and asked, "_This_ is the boyfriend with plenty of financial resources?"

I blushed with embarrassment at having Edward hear the words I had used and uttered, "Umm…yeah."

Maria opened the door wider and ushered us in. Edward extended his hand to introduce himself, but before he could say anything, Maria spoke up and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cullen."

"It's very nice to meet you too, Maria. This is my mother, Esme Cullen," he replied, guiding Esme into the room with us.

We said hello to Jack and Sarah, who were sitting on the couch watching TV and sharing a small bag of pretzels. The four adults took a seat around the small dining table and started discussing all the available options for Maria and her family. Esme gave her a list of phone numbers, explaining what each organization could help her with. Edward passed her a business card and said, "This is one of the lawyers we use at The Cullen Corporation. He usually specializes in business law, but he's very good at dealing with insurance companies and will make sure you receive an adequate amount at settlement. I've already notified him of your situation and he's agreed to help you out pro bono. Just give him a call when you have time; he's expecting to hear from you. He'll also be able to give you a cash advance against your settlement if you needed some money right now."

Maria looked at the card and back at Edward. "Thank you so much. All of this is so much to deal with, and I had no clue what I was going to do before I met Bella yesterday. I truly appreciate all the help," she expressed.

Edward smiled brightly and responded, "It's definitely not a problem. Bella also mentioned that your husband had been looking for work for some time now. Do you mind telling me what field of work he was in?"

"Not at all. He was employed at Lockheed Martin in the research department for the past seven years until the corporate layoffs started."

"Impressive," Edward commented with a raised brow. He reached in his pocket and pulled out another business card. "Hold onto my card for your husband. When he's ready to get back to work have him give me a call. I'm sure we could use another good employee in our research department."

A few stray tears fell down Maria's face as she thanked him again. Esme gave her several gift cards that had been donated to some of her charities from different department stores so she could replace some of their clothing and other items they needed.

After all the business talk was taken care of, Edward ordered lunch for everyone and had it delivered to the room. The atmosphere took on a happy and hopeful feeling as we all talked about ordinary things. Sarah turned into a little chatterbox with Edward, and he suggested that we set up a play date between her and Bethy. Before we left, Sarah asked Edward if she could touch his hair. He laughed along with the rest of us and bent down to let her ruffle it up. Apparently, Edward could dazzle girls of any age.

I gave Maria another hug and said, "Give me a call if you need anything else…help with the kids, a friend to talk to, or even a shopping buddy."

"I will. Thank you again. I can't say that enough," she replied, turning and shaking Edward and Esme's hands while thanking them again too.

Knowing that Maria had plenty of assistance now, made me feel so much lighter. On the drive to pick Bethy up, I tried to tell Edward how much everything he did meant to me.

"Thank you so much for helping Maria out. I can't even explain how much that meant to me. I was so worried for them," I said.

Reaching across the console, he took my hand in his and started rubbing his thumb across my skin. "I really didn't do anything except put her in contact with Stan, but he'll make sure she comes out ahead, financially at least. You're really the one that helped her by being there for her yesterday. That's worth more than money," he told me.

"You did a lot more than that. You offered her husband a job when he's better. That alone gave them a promise for a better future. Sometimes I don't think you see how wonderful you really are. I think you gained a new fan girl too. Sarah really seemed to like you," I stated.

He laughed and said, "She really is cute. Her and Bethy would get along great."

"Edward…I love you."

"I love you too, baby. So, tomorrow…car shopping?"

I started laughing, but decided not to argue. I had a feeling if I didn't agree to go with him, he would buy me something insanely expensive just to prove a point. If I agree to go, maybe we can compromise and find a cheap used car somewhere. Who am I kidding? Edward's not going to be happy buying me something used.

"I like this car. You can let me have this, and we'll go shopping for _your_ new car," I offered.

"Seriously?" he asked.

I nodded, and his smile practically doubled. I guess it's a win for everyone.


	30. Ch30 New Year's Eve

Chapter 30

BPOV

My apartment was really in need of a good scrubbing. It didn't look messy, just needed to be freshened up a lot. Everything had been so busy during the holidays, and with my dad visiting, I didn't waste precious time worrying about cleaning. The fact that I was wearing my last pair of clean underwear was proof that I at least needed to wash some clothes today. I was folding a load of freshly laundered clothes when I heard Alice at the front door.

"Hey, Bella! Can you help me for a minute?" she called.

I rounded the corner and saw her struggling with a huge armful of garment bags. "More goodies from work?" I asked as I rushed over to take half the stack from her arms.

"You guessed it! I grabbed as much as I could from the discarded stock before anyone else got their hands on them. I figured you and I could pick out something awesome from all of this to wear to the New Year's party tonight," she explained.

"Good idea. I've known about this party for months, but I didn't even think to buy a new dress," I agreed.

"Yeah, it sort of slipped my mind too. Last night Jasper mentioned Edward rented a limo to pick everyone up and I totally freaked out. I made sure I got up super early to run to work for these. By the way, where is Edward? I saw his car parked outside," Alice said in a rush.

"Uh, well…that's sort of my car now. I gave mine to Maria, and Edward's out shopping with Emmett for a new one for himself right now," I told her.

"You gave your car to Maria? Who's Maria and why did you give your car away? Bella, I've only been gone for a few days, but it seems like I've missed a lot. We hardly see each other anymore."

The hurt look on Alice's face made me realize how true that statement was. Edward and Bethy had quickly taken first place in my life, and with my new job, I was working weird hours and always on the go. No matter what was going on in our lives, Alice and I always made time for each other in the past and I was missing that just as much as she was.

"You're right. I guess a lot has happened lately, but you're still my best friend in the whole world, Ali. Let's spend the whole day together, catching up and getting ready for an awesome night!" I offered.

"Sounds good! Let's start by deciding what we're going to wear tonight. Then we'll do some light shopping for accessories and have lunch at that Mexican place we like. By the time we're ready to go out tonight, we'll know every detail about each other's lives again and be kick ass gorgeous for our men too," she declared.

The rest of the day was spent reconnecting with my best friend. I filled Alice in on the night Tanya popped up, Christmas at the Cullen's, and the situation with Maria. She told me how much Jasper liked Forks and how much her mom and dad liked Jasper.

Edward called me after lunch to let me know he bought a brand new black Escalade, fully loaded with tinted windows. I had to laugh at how he sounded like a little boy with a new toy, but it made me happy to know he was happy.

Around seven o'clock the limo arrived, already occupied by Emmett, Rosalie, Edward, and Jasper. Our first stop was New Moon for dinner in the VIP room. We were all sipping our drinks, waiting for our dinner to arrive, when Emmett spoke up and said, "Wait 'til you guys see Edward's sweet new ride. I might even have to borrow it to take Rosie out one weekend." He wiggled his eyebrows and added, "The windows have extra dark tint and the inside's got a lot of leg room."

"Eww, no! Nobody's getting busy in the Escalade except me and Edward," I blurted out without thinking. As soon as I realized what I said, I turned beet red and everyone started laughing.

"Damn, bro. Sounds like you brought out the inner vixen in this one," Emmett teased.

Edward smirked, but didn't comment out loud. Instead, he tucked my embarrassed face into his neck, chuckled, and whispered in my ear, "Want to leave now and take it for a test drive?"

I bit his shoulder and pushed him away with a smirk of my own. Emmett laughed loudly and cocked a brow in Edward's direction, but my smart boyfriend simply smiled and shook his head. _That's right, baby. Don't kiss and tell…even though I just spent most of the afternoon telling Alice how talented you are in bed._

"Seriously though, Em and I do have some news to share. We decided on a wedding date! I've always wanted to be a June bride so we picked June 9th," Rosalie announced.

"That's great! Congratulations you two. You've been engaged forever; I didn't think you'd ever set a date," Edward commented.

"Yeah, it's about time," Jasper said as he clapped Emmett on the back.

"Hey, I was ready to say 'I do' the moment she said yes to the proposal. Rose is the one who couldn't decide on a date," Emmett proclaimed.

"I know," Rosalie agreed. "I was having such a hard time trying to come up with the perfect wedding that I just kept pushing the idea further and further into the future. Now everything just seems…_right_."

"But that's only six months to plan!" Alice exclaimed. "Are you going to have enough time to get everything together?"

"Well, we decided that we both want something small and intimate. I already asked Esme if we could have the wedding in their back garden, and she was totally excited about it. We only want our closest family and friends there, so there won't really be a lot of guests. I've had my dress picked out for a while now. I called my designer the other day, and she assured me it would be no problem to have it ready by then."

"That sounds perfect. I'm so happy for you two!" I said, getting up to give Rosalie and Emmett a hug. "If you need any help with anything just ask."

"Actually…" Rosalie started, hugging me back. "There is one thing I wanted to ask you and Alice. It would mean a lot to me if you both would be my bridesmaids."

Alice squealed like a fan girl and jumped up to join the hug. "I'd love to! Ohmygod! We have so much to do! Lots of shopping. Cake tasting. More shopping. Planning a shower. And a bachelorette party. Decorating….and shopping!"

"Calm down, Alice. It's Rose and Emmett's wedding. Don't go overboard with the planning," I said to reign her in a bit before turning back to Rose and adding, "I would be completely honored to be your bridesmaid, and I promise to help contain the little pixie if she gets out of hand."

"Thanks, girls," Rose said, wiping her watery eyes. "Otherwise I was going to be stuck standing up there with my two snooty cousins I don't even like," she added with a laugh.

"Congratulations to Emmett and Rosalie!" Jasper said, raising his glass up high. "May the new year bring the greatest of adventures to them and all the couples at this table!"

We all clinked our glasses together for a toast and settled down to enjoy our dinner that had just arrived. After we ate, we returned to the limo and headed toward Times Square. The Cullen Corporation owned one of the buildings right in the center of the celebration. Every year they threw a party on New Year's Eve for all of the employees, business associates, and friends. Hors d'oeuvres and drinks were served all night while people mingle in and out of the building during the festivities in Times Square. Edward said there was also dancing on the second floor, and the roof access is available exclusively for family and a few close friends.

The limo dropped us off a block behind the building. We walked through the crowds of people and made it inside where the party was already underway. The first floor was filled with tables, chairs, and large screen televisions showing the live broadcasts of the Times Square festivities. Servers were circulating with trays of finger foods and glasses of champagne.

Edward and Emmett waved and greeted the people in the room, and we all headed up to the second floor. There were more tables along the perimeter of the dimly lit room, and a large dance floor took up the center. More servers were milling around with food, and a few bartenders were mixing drinks at the bar while the DJ played the music loudly.

Several people approached us to introduce themselves and commented on how nice the party was. We found an unoccupied table to sit at while Emmett and Jasper went to the bar to grab drinks for everyone.

"Wow, this is really something," I said to everyone at the table.

"Yep. It's always the best New Year's Eve party around," Rosalie replied.

"I can't believe how many people are here," Alice added. "But there's no way everyone who works for you can fit into this building," she directed to Edward.

"Not all at once, no. But no one usually stays in here the whole time. Except for my parents, most people volley between the party in here and the activity on the streets," he answered. "Have you ever wanted to spend New Year's Eve in Times Square?" he asked me.

"I don't know. I've watched it on TV plenty of times, but I never imagined being in the middle of all these crowds myself. It's kind of scary, but pretty exciting at the same time," I answered, not knowing if it made any sense or not.

"When it gets close to midnight you can decide what we do. We can watch the ball drop from the rooftop or join the crowd on the street," he told me.

"What do you usually do?" I asked.

"Uh…when I was younger I usually hit the street, but the past few years I've watched from the roof. Either one is fine with me. I've done both, so you get to decide this year," he answered.

Emmett and Jasper arrived back at the table with our drinks. When a slow song came on, Emmett grabbed Rose and said, "Dance with me, my soon-to-be wife." Rose giggled and led him to the middle of the dance floor.

Edward looked at me with raised brows and asked, "Wanna dance?"

"Sure," I replied, finishing off my drink before getting up.

"Well, hell…guess we better join them, darling," I heard Jasper say as we were walking away.

"I don't think I told you how beautiful you look tonight," Edward whispered in my ear while we swayed to the music. His hot breath against my skin sent shivers down my body. When he noticed, he pulled back and asked, "Are you cold?"

"No. Just the opposite," I replied with a smile.

He chuckled and held me tight again, moving to the rhythm of the music. We danced to a few songs and decided to go upstairs to look for Carlisle and Esme. The third floor was glowing with candles and twinkling lights. There were beautifully decorated tables and a pianist playing softly in the corner.

Edward visited several of the tables to say hello and introduce me to the guests. I recognized several of them from the charity ball I had attended with Edward, while others were completely new faces. We finally joined Carlisle and Esme at their table and sat down to talk to them for a while.

"So, Emmett and Rose told us the big news. Rose asked me and Alice to be in the wedding too," I said to Esme.

"Oh, that's so wonderful! It's going to be so beautiful. We already knew Edward and Jasper would be the groomsmen and Bethany would be the flower girl, but now you girls will make it perfect," she commented.

We talked for a while about plans for the wedding before Edward and I ventured out into Times Square. There were so many people bunched together as far as you could see. I held Edward's hand in a death grip as we made our way toward the performance stage. I heard thousands of screaming girls and bounced on my tip toes to see the young boy on the stage.

"Oh, god! Please don't tell me you're a Justin Bieber fan," Edward begged.

"And if I was?" I challenged.

"I may have to seriously reevaluate my affection for you," he teased.

"Oh, come on! You know you would buy me front row tickets to his next concert and be right by my side wearing earplugs for the whole thing. But don't worry…I'm not a fourteen year old girl with no musical appreciation," I stated.

Edward laughed and pulled my back against his chest to watch the show. "You're right, you know. I would do anything to make you happy," he said before his lips descended on my neck.

I squirmed in his arms to turn around and face him so I could reciprocate the affection. "That's one of the reasons I love you so much. Your self sacrifice amazes me," I whispered.

"What are the other reasons?" he inquired with a grin.

"Fishing for compliments, Mr. Cullen?" I asked teasingly. "We'd freeze to death out here before I got halfway through the list," I told him honestly.

I knew he wanted to pry for more of an answer, but he laughed it off and pulled me back toward the Cullen Corporation party. We joined our friends for a few more drinks and a couple more dances before Alice and Rose dragged me back to the street to catch Beyonce's performance.

We clung to each other as we bounced around to the beat of the music. The performance was great, but I was more in awe of the sheer number of people lining the streets for the celebration. There were small groups of friends mixed into one giant mass of bodies, but everyone was there celebrating the same thing - the end of one year and the beginning of another. It was peaceful chaos in a weird way.

"I don't know about everybody else out here, but I've got to pee," I announced.

"That's why we have the best of both sides tonight. We can enjoy all this," she said, waving her hands around. "And we can go back to our party to use the bathroom and warm up."

"I don't have to pee, but I am cold," Alice complained.

"Come on, you two sissies!" Rose yelled, dragging us by the arm back to the building.

Alice and Rose went to find the guys, and I went to find the bathroom. Edward was right; people were coming and going all night, and I think most of them were in line to use the bathroom ahead of me.

By the time I made it inside, I rushed straight to the first open stall and slammed the door shut. I could hear several girls chatting while they were probably fixing their makeup, but I tuned into one conversation in particular when I heard Edward's name mentioned.

"Edward's so fucking hot! Why do you think I applied for the job in the first place? I've got a business degree from Princeton, but I'm working as a secretary…" someone said.

"Yeah, well…he's definitely worth looking at all day, but I don't know that I'd sacrifice my career just to window shop, if you know what I mean," another girl said.

"Pfft, it's not window shopping if you actually get to take the merchandise home. I heard he got pretty cozy with his last assistant. A few more weeks of charming him and he'll be in my bed before you know it," said the first whore who is apparently my replacement at the Cullen Corporation.

"I don't know, Gianna. Isabella Swan is the first girl Edward Cullen has actually dated. I don't think it's going to be as easy as you think. I'm pretty sure they're in love with each other," the voice I now recognized as Jessica Stanley said.

"Who said anything about dating him? Although he would be one hell of a catch. But a hot elicit affair would be just as rewarding. He's a man. No man turns down 'no strings attached' wild sex with this body," Gianna replied, laughing as her voice faded away with her footsteps.

"Fucking bitch!" I mumbled, leaving the stall to wash my hands. I tried to remember if I had met her yet, but decided that I hadn't since every time I visited Edward at the office for lunch she was already gone. I wondered if she called him 'Edward' at the office instead of Mr. Cullen. How friendly were they? Instead of demanding Edward to fire his overqualified, Princeton graduate secretary because she had the hots for him, I decided to do a little more research first. I trusted Edward completely, but who would take a menial position for the chance of having sex even if it was sex with Edward Cullen?

I walked up the stairs with a frown on my face and found our group at the same table we were originally at.

"Bella! I was afraid you got lost," Alice yelled, motioning me over.

"What's wrong, baby? You look upset," Edward said, pulling me into the empty chair beside him.

"Oh, nothing," I shook my head. "Long line at the ladies room."

Jasper pushed a drink across the table for me and said, "It's almost eleven thirty. Are we going up to the roof or out to the street?"

"I think I've had enough of the crowds. Let's go to the roof," I answered, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Before we could get up, I recognized Gianna's voice nearby and scanned the room to get a look at her. Shit! She was gorgeous, and she was headed right for our table.

"Hi, Miss Hale, Mr. Cullen," she purred, answering my earlier question about their familiarity. "I'm so glad I got to see you before I left. I wanted to tell you what a great party this has been."

"Hello, Miss Ricci," Rose greeted, but Gianna's eyes never left my boyfriend's body.

"It's good to see you again too. I'm glad you enjoyed the party," Edward replied politely.

Gianna's crinkled her brow a bit, looking a little confused and said, "Right…well, happy new year! I guess I'll see you both on Monday."

As soon as she left Alice asked, "Since when did you start hiring supermodels as secretaries at Cullen Corporation?"

Rose laughed, and Edward looked confused. "Ha! You don't even know who that was. Do you, Edward?" Rose asked.

"Should I?" Edward questioned, looking even more confused.

Rose laughed even harder and said, "Well, considering the fact that she's your other executive assistant…I would think so."

Emmett started laughing too and said, "Damn, bro. You've had to see her every day for the past few weeks and you don't even know who she is?"

Edward shook his head and quietly said, "I guess I never really paid much attention to her. I hope I didn't seem rude just then."

"No, baby. You behaved perfectly. I love you," I said with a huge smile on my face. Edward smiled back and gave me a sweet kiss, oblivious to the reason for my remark.

Rose wasn't so oblivious though. She smirked at me and mouthed, "You have nothing to worry about."

We met up with Carlisle and Esme and headed to the roof. There were several outdoor heaters fighting off the cold, and more tables lit up with candle centerpieces. We snacked on some of the food and grabbed glasses of champagne for a midnight toast. We lined up along the edge of the building to watch the ball drop. We could hear the crowd below shouting out the countdown along with us.

Ten!

Nine!

Eight!

Seven!

Six!

Edward wrapped his arms around me to welcome in the new year together.

Five!

Four!

Three!

Two!

One!

"Happy New Year!" everyone cheered and toasted their glasses as confetti flittered down from the sky.

"You know what they say…the first person you kiss on New Year's is the person you want to spend the rest of the year with," Edward announced.

"Then I definitely want you to be the first one I kiss," I replied just before we joined together in a kiss that meant much more than the next year.

"One year's not enough. Can I keep you forever?" my beautiful boyfriend asked.

"Forever's not even long enough," I replied with another kiss.

Edward stared longingly into my eyes and said, "Move in with me."

I blinked a few times, trying to recover from the shock and dumbly said, "W-what?"

"Move in with me," he repeated, perfectly calm and completely serious.

"Edward, I can't…I don't know. I can't just leave Alice by herself with the apartment. Maybe if her and Jasper were at that stage…I don't want to say no, but can I think about it?" I answered.

He ran his thumb across my bottom lip and said, "Please consider it. My home is filled with so much love whenever you're in it. I can't remember ever being truly happy before I met you, and I miss you so damn much whenever we're apart. Everyone goes back to work on Monday. Bethy goes back to school. Our schedules are going to get busier. I at least want to be able to come home to the possibility that you'll be there too. Let me go to bed every night knowing that you'll be wrapped in my arms while I sleep."

Too stunned to formulate an answer right away, I held both sides of his face in my hands and pulled him down for another kiss. "Baby…give me time to work everything out. In the meantime…I'll agree to being wrapped in your arms every night while we sleep. Okay?" I said, pleading with my eyes for him to understand that I wasn't rejecting him. I already knew I wanted forever with him, and if he had asked me to marry him I would have said yes without hesitation. At least that gave me time to plan a wedding, discuss housing options, and prepare for the wonderful changes in life.

He simply nodded, kissed me on top of my head, and whispered, "Thank you."

"So…let's hear everyone's resolutions!" Emmett's voice boomed through air. "Mine is to spend the first half of the year praying Rosie doesn't change her mind about marrying me, and to spend the second half of the year thanking God that she went through with it!"

"I think that'll be my resolution too," Carlisle joked while everyone laughed.

"Mine is to be more careful at intersections," Esme said quietly.

"I'm gonna make sure I fit into a size one wedding dress," Rose said playfully, but I'm pretty sure she was mostly serious.

` "I'm gonna do less shopping for myself and more shopping for other people," Alice volunteered proudly.

"My resolution is to spend less time at work and more time with my girl and my friends," Jasper stated.

I felt like I was put on the spot when everyone looked to me and Edward for our answers. What could I say? I resolve to sleep with my boyfriend every night?

Edward gave me a nudge and I said, "My resolution is to end and start each day with love in my heart."

Edward was the last one to declare his resolution. With a squeeze of my hand, he said, "Mine is to make sure Bella Swan knows how much I love her every single day."


	31. Ch31 Bethy's Birthday

Chapter 31

EPOV

I woke up New Year's day with the girl I love wrapped securely in my arms and had to smile when I remembered her words to spend every night this way. It was one step closer to having her move in completely. I hadn't really planned on asking her to move in. It was a spontaneous action on my part, but now that the idea was out there I could only think of one thing I wanted more. Actually, I almost proposed, but I knew it was too soon to ask that. She was having a hard enough time accepting the offer of living together.

When the alarm clock buzzed a few minutes later, her eyes popped open and she gave me a sleepy smile followed by a hoarse "good morning".

"Good morning, love. Did you sleep well?" I asked. She yawned and stretched while nodding her head up and down.

"You don't have to get up yet, but I need to pick Bethy up from Katie's house," I told her as I kissed her forehead and rolled out of bed.

"No, I should go too. I'll be spending the day cleaning my apartment, but I'll be back in time for bed," she said with a smile on her face.

"Are you coming to my parents' for dinner today?" I asked.

"I totally forgot it was Sunday. I want to, but I really do have a lot to get done at home. You and Bethy deserve some daddy/daughter time anyway," she answered. "I'll see you both tonight after you get home."

I dropped Bella off on my way to pick up Bethy. The girls were still in their pajamas when I got there, and Charlotte was busy getting Bethy's things gathered up.

"Hey, Edward. The girls slept in a little late this morning. I think I've got all Bethy's things together, but if I missed something Katie can bring it to school tomorrow," she told me, before telling the girls to go get dressed.

"Daddy! We stayed up for a whole new year!" Bethy shouted as she ran after Katie up the stairs to dress.

"They didn't stay up. I promised them if they went to bed early I would wake them up before midnight so they could watch the ball drop on TV. We threw some confetti and had an apple juice toast. They were back to sleep ten minutes later," Carmen explained.

I chuckled and replied, "Sounds like they had fun. Thanks for letting Bethy stay over."

"Oh, it was no trouble at all. Katie loves having her here. How was your night?"

"It was good," I started to say before I was interrupted by Bethy.

"Daddy! Can Katie sleepover my house next weekend for my birfday? Pwease!" she begged.

I was a little surprised since it was the first time Bethy had ever asked to have anyone come to her house. I managed to stutter, "Uh…w-well, if Katie's mom says it's okay. It's fine with me."

Charlotte chuckled and said, "If it gets to be too much, just give me a call and I'll come pick her up."

"Oh, I'm sure they'll be fine. Bella will there to help out. She would probably have just as much fun as them doing slumber party stuff," I assured her, crossing my fingers that I was right.

"Yay!" both girls cheered while jumping up and down.

"Yes, I've heard all about Izzybelwa from Bethy. Sounds like she's pretty special," Charlotte commented.

"Yeah, she is. We'll let you know what time the party is. Thanks again for watching her last night."

When we got in the car I asked Bethy, "So, do you know what kind of party you want to have this year?"

"Of course, Daddy. A pwincess party. But can we have it at our house instead of Nana's this time? I liked the party at our house last week, and I want Katie to see all my toys and my room," she said.

It broke my heart to hear my four year old daughter that excited about something as simple as inviting a friend to her house. She should have been having friends over anytime without it being a big deal.

"We can do whatever you want, baby. You know you can ask to have friends over anytime, right? It doesn't have to be a special occasion," I said.

"I didn't know," she said with big eyes. "But Izzybelwa invited fwiends over so I thought maybe it was okay."

"Baby, you know I love you so much. And our home has always been a special place for you and me, but it's okay to share that with people who are important to us too. If you want to invite someone over just let me know, okay?" I tried to explain.

"Okay, Daddy!" she chirped happily.

"So, if we're going to throw a princess party we better buy some decorations and balloons. What do you think? Should we go shopping for party stuff today?" I asked.

"Yes, yes, yes!" she squealed, clapping her hands and bouncing in her seat.

I had to admit I was a little out of my element at the party store. The place was huge with hundreds of different party themed decorations mostly made out of paper. My mom had always been the one to plan and decorate for Bethy's parties, and it looked nothing like the stuff here. I almost turned around and left right away, but Bethy looked amazed by the colorful items surrounding us. I quickly decided that I didn't want her to miss out on having a little kids birthday party complete with cheesy decorations and plastic prizes. One of the sales associates must have recognized me as a first time party planner and quickly came to my rescue.

"Hi! Welcome to Party Palace. Can I help you find anything today?" said the girl wearing a balloon shaped nametag with Brittney stamped across it.

"Yes. My daughter wants to have a princess birthday party and we need some decorations," I answered.

"Okay. Our princess themed merchandise is on isle five. We have everything from plates and napkins to party favors and decorations. You'll find it all grouped together on that isle. Also, if you wanted special balloons you can order them at the balloon counter over there," Brittany informed me, pointing to isle five and the balloon counter.

Halfway down isle five, there was an explosion of pinks and purples, plastic crowns and beaded necklaces, and every princess item you could imagine. Bethy was in pure heaven. I grabbed a cart and let her pick out whatever she wanted to have at her party. We even grabbed a pack of invitations for her to give out to her friends at school. I threw in a couple extra packs of decorations just in case and went to the balloon counter to order balloons.

Once we decided on the balloons, the lady at the counter suggested that I just purchase a small helium tank and fill them myself on the day of the party. I wasn't sure if that was a normal thing to do or not, but it sounded better than driving home with a ton of balloons crowding the inside of my car.

Two hundred and fifty dollars later, we left the store with two large bags full of pink and purple paper items. When we got in the car Bethy asked, "Do you think Izzybelwa knows how to make a fairytale castle cake?"

"Wow! That sounds like it might be pretty hard to do, Bethy," I replied.

"But she did a really good job wif the cookies we decorated. I bet she can do it," she reasoned.

"Maybe. We can ask her about it when she comes over tonight."

We grabbed a quick lunch and headed home to drop off the party supplies. We decided to lay down and take a short nap before going to my parents for dinner.

Mom was a bit surprised to hear that she wouldn't be throwing Bethy's party, but once I explained things and she saw how excited Bethy was she immediately understood.

Around seven thirty that evening, Bella showed up at my apartment while I was filling out the party invitations for Bethy. She was immediately assaulted by a little girl with big party plans.

"Izzybelwa! Me and Daddy are getting ready for my pwincess birfday party. We bought lots of stuff today and I get to have a sleepover and I get to do it here too. Can you make a fairytale castle cake, Izzybelwa? Pwease! I know you can do it just like our Christmas cookies we decorated. You're gonna be here right? For my birfday party? Pwease!" Bethy blurted out with one huge breath.

I had to stifle a laugh at Bella's stunned expression, but she recovered quickly, responding with, "Of course I'll be there! I wouldn't miss your birthday for anything in the world. But…I, uh…a castle cake? I'm not sure if I know how to do that. I bet Daddy could find a bakery that would make a really beautiful one though."

Bethy frowned briefly, then turned right back into my little optimist. "No, don't want Daddy to buy it. I want you to make my birfday cake. Yours will be sooooo much better. I know you can do it, Izzybelwa!"

"Well, okay. I can try, but don't be disappointed if it isn't exactly perfect, Jellybean."

Bethy giggled as if the idea of it not being perfect was completely ridiculous. Bella looked a little unsure about her commitment, but was determined to grant Bethy's wishes anyway.

"Why don't you show me the stuff you bought today, so I can get an idea of the kind of cake we need," Bella added. Bethy ran off to get the bags out of the closet, and I dropped the invitation I was working on to come to my sweet girlfriend's rescue.

"You know…we can always order a cake from the bakery and just tell Bethy you made it if you don't think you can do it," I whispered in her ear, wrapping my arms around her and planting a kiss on her temple.

"No. I don't want to lie to her. I'll figure out a way to make it," she answered, biting her bottom lip and scrunching her eyebrows in thought.

"Here's all the stuff!" Bethy announced, dragging the two bags behind her.

Bella stooped down to look in the bags and smiled excitedly while she pulled some of the items out. "Wow! You got the good stuff," she proclaimed. "This is going to be the best party ever."

Bethy beamed in agreement, and the two of them fell into a detailed conversation about decorations, games, and sleepover ideas. I finished filling out the last couple invitations before marching Bethy to her room for bed, explaining that she had to go to sleep early so she'd be rested up for her first day back to school in the morning. She stopped complaining when I told her she also had to hand out her party invitations when we got there.

Once Bethy fell asleep I convinced Bella to take a hot bath with me in the Jacuzzi tub. It didn't take much convincing on my part; I was pretty sure she was secretly in love with my bathroom anyway.

Not wanting to get her hair wet, Bella twisted it up in some kind of messy knot on top of her head and secured it with one of her hair thingies. She looked absolutely adorable. I watched her get undressed, and when the last shred of clothing fell from her body my heart started beating harder and faster. Her body was flawless. Her skin looked like creamy silk. My eyes raked up her slender legs, over the curves of her plump ass, and the bend at her tiny waist as she stepped into the tub and lowered herself into the bubbling water until her perfect breasts were submerged just below the water level.

"God, you are so gorgeous," I said when she looked towards me, wondering why I hadn't already joined her. I slipped out of my clothing and into the tub, sitting across from her and lifting her foot into my lap as I massaged it. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever laid my eyes on, Bella."

She blushed, then giggled in reaction to my touch on the bottom of her foot as she pulled it out of my reach. After a few moments of staring at me with a look of happiness mixed with desire, she scooted forward and crawled onto my lap.

"You say the sweetest things to me, Edward. But just so you know…flattery isn't all that necessary. I can pretty much guarantee you're gonna get lucky tonight," she purred, her lips barely an inch away from my own.

"I'm lucky just being near you, but I can't say that I'm not interested in whatever you had in mind tonight, beautiful," I replied, staring back into her eyes and waiting for her to make the next move. I didn't have to wait long before her lips were melting against mine and her tongue was tracing the swell of my bottom lip.

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer and positioning her directly over my already hard cock. Our kisses went from soft and sweet to urgent and fierce within seconds.

"Mmm, Edward. I love you so much, baby. I need to feel you buried deep inside me," she groaned, grinding hard against me.

"Anything…everything you want is yours…always yours," I answered, lifting her up and guiding her back down as I granted her wish. We both moaned loudly as I filled her so completely. My head lolled back against the edge of the tub, content to just 'feel' this way for the rest of the night. Bella's lips attacked my neck, kissing and sucking while her hands roamed across my chest. Her hips started moving slowly and, instinctively, my body started to follow.

Slow steady thrusts built the tightening of the coil begging to be released. Bella's movements increased along with my own; panting and moaning sounds vibrated off the walls. Bubbling water sloshed over the edges of the tub and splashed onto the tile floor with our quickened pace.

Leaning back and bracing herself using my thighs, Bella continued bouncing and grinding on my dick. I held onto her hips and pivoted my mine to reach even deeper, hitting that certain spot inside her each time I pulled almost all the way out and pushed back in.

"Yes, Edward! Yes! Right there!" she shouted.

I knew she was about to explode, but the sight of her tits bouncing rhythmically as she yelled out my name had me struggling to hold on.

"Fuuuuck…" I ground out through clenched teeth as I couldn't stop myself from spilling into her. Two seconds later, Bella collapsed against my heaving chest, her fingers gripping tightly to my back as she came undone, milking every last drop from me.

I placed a few kisses to the side of her face. We held each other silently while the subsiding wakes in the water relaxed us back to a state of calm and contentment.

Before we accidentally fell asleep in the tub, I nudged Bella off my lap and suggested we take a quick rinse off in the shower before going to bed because we had gotten more 'dirty' than clean in that bath.

Six thirty comes way too early in the morning, but having Bella wrapped around me was definitely something worth waking up to. I spent a few extra minutes lying there just to watch her sleep. A tiny smile graced her lips, and her closed eyelids fluttered slightly. It made me happy to think of her having sweet dreams in my bed.

Before it got to the point of having to rush around to get Bethy ready for school, I tried to slip quietly out of bed without disturbing the sleeping beauty by my side. As soon as my feet hit the floor, her eyes popped open.

"Morning," she smiled.

"Good morning, baby," I replied. "You don't have to be at work for a while. Go back to sleep and I'll set the alarm for you."

"No, you're bed's too comfortable. I'll never get up if you leave me here. Besides, I promised Alice we'd have breakfast together before she goes to work this morning," she said. I had a feeling there was more to it than that, but I let it go. A small doubt inside me said that she was fighting against moving in with me, and staying longer than her promise to spend every night in my bed made her uncomfortable somehow.

"Okay, well…I'll probably be pretty late leaving work today. That's typical after such a long break from work, but I'll call you when I'm on my way home. You'll be back tonight?"

"I'll be back tonight," she confirmed. I nodded my head and went to the closet to grab my clothes. "Edward?" she called out and continued when I turned to look at her, "I don't want you to think I'm running off every morning because I don't want to be with you. I do. I just…I really am going to consider moving in, but right now I just…I don't want to rush into anything. I want to talk to Alice about the idea, and I think we should have a talk with Bethy about it too. I know she doesn't mind me being here, but moving in is a big deal. I don't want her to be confused or whatever."

I gave her my best smile and nodded that I understood. "I don't want to rush you into anything you're not ready for, Bella. The offer's there though. I'm ready whenever you are, and when you decide you want to move in we'll definitely sit Bethy down and explain it to her. I'd already planned on that once I knew you were ready. There's no pressure, but you don't have to run off every morning before she gets up either. We can all have breakfast together and leave at the same time if you want."

She returned my smile and said, "Okay, thanks."

The rest of the week flew by. Mom was well enough to start getting Bethy from school again and watch her until I got home. Work held me late almost every day, trying to catch up on everything. Bella worked a lot of weird hours, sometimes not showing up at my place until late at night, but she did keep her promise of spending every night with me. By Friday, she finally had some free time, but I still didn't see her because she spent the whole day working on Bethy's birthday cake.

"I'm getting ready to come over now. Is Bethy already asleep? I don't want her to see the cake until tomorrow," Bella said when she called Friday night.

"I just put her to bed about fifteen minutes ago. Now…get your ass over here, love," I replied, anxious to see her. A sweet giggle came through the line, and she told me she would be there soon.

A little bit later there was a knock at the door, and I wondered why Bella hadn't just used her key like she usually did. When I opened the door I understood. I could barely see Bella around the huge box she was carrying.

"Damn, Bella. Is that Bethy's birthday cake?" I asked, helping her through the door with the monstrosity.

"Yep. It's not as big as it looks. This is just the only box I found big enough for it to fit in. I hope she likes it though." she said.

"She'll love it just because you made it for her," I told her honestly. I helped her set the box on the table and started to open it, but she stopped me and said Bethy had to be the first one to see it tomorrow.

Desperate for some alone time with my girl, I led her to the couch and pulled her back against my chest. "Mmmm. I missed you this week. We haven't had much time together aside from sleeping," I admitted.

"Yeah, I've missed you too. Sometimes the nights just aren't long enough," she sighed.

"Well…there is a solution to that," I started to say before she cut me off.

"Yes, I know, Edward. Please be patient with me," she requested.

I let the subject drop because I honestly wasn't trying to pressure her. We watched a movie on TV and made out like teenagers on the couch before heading off to bed. The next morning we were both shocked to be woken up by an excited 'just turned four' little girl bouncing on the bed between us.

"I guess we slept through the alarm," I said to Bella in a scratchy voice while noticing her pulling the covers tightly to her chest. "Shit! I forgot…Bethy, why don't you go watch something on TV while Daddy and Bella get ready, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy, but hurry up! It's my birfday today! 'Member?"

"Are you sure? I thought that was next week," I teased.

"No, Daddy! It's today," Bethy laughed, positive I was just teasing her. "I'm four years old now," she stated proudly.

Bella giggled beside me and said, "Happy birthday, Jellybean! Give me a few minutes to get up and I'll make you a special birthday breakfast."

"Okay," Bethy shouted cheerfully before giving the bed one more bounce and leaving to wait in the living room.

A giggle and a small moan erupted from the silly woman now completely hidden under the sheets. I pulled the covers away to give her a kiss and drag her out of bed.

"I can't believe she caught us in bed together…naked," Bella complained.

I laughed and said, "She didn't seem to notice our state of undress. And she didn't even act like it was any big deal for us to be in bed together. Don't worry over it, love. Everything's fine."

BPOV

_Everything's fine_. Such a strange sounding phrase coming from the man who, only a few months earlier, would never even risk having his daughter find a woman in his bed. But this Edward definitely wasn't the same man. This Edward was completely confident in our relationship, freely giving of his love, and loving me more than I could have ever dreamed.

I felt a small pang of guilt when I thought of him patiently waiting for me to make up my mind about moving in. He really put himself out there when he asked; even though he wouldn't admit it, I know it hurt him a little that I was so hesitant. It's weird how our roles seemed to have flipped. In the beginning, I was the one who was ready to push forward, and he was the one holding back. Maybe I'm just afraid of ruining what we have if we move too fast. I love Edward. I love Bethy. I've never had so much to lose before, and it honestly scares me. I don't think I would know how recover if I lost them. But for now…everything's fine.

I got dressed and headed to the kitchen, passing a tickle fight between father and daughter on the couch. I smiled and said, "Special birthday pancakes coming up!"

I knew pancakes were already Bethy's favorite, which was good because of the breakfast plans I had. It was something Alice's mom did for us both every year until we moved away. Our birthday always started out with chocolate chip pancakes in the shape of the number that represented our new age. Knowing you were turning a year older was one thing, but actually seeing the new number on your plate first thing in the morning was like some sort of magical spell that made it real.

When Edward plopped Bethy up on the barstool in front of her plate, my heart swelled with the look of astonishment on her little face.

"Oh, my gosh! My pancakes know how old I am today. Daddy, look!" she squealed, one tiny hand covering her open mouth and the other pointing to her plate.

Edward laughed and kissed her on the head, saying, "Yep. They sure do. Bella must have made some magic pancakes, huh?"

"I told you it was a special breakfast," I answered, smiling at them both.

Bethy covered her plate in syrup and happily started munching on her stack of number fours while Edward and I ate boring circle shapes along with her. In that moment, I couldn't stop myself from looking forward to making fives and sixes and all the numbers that follow.

After cleaning up the dishes, Bethy was ready to get started on putting up the decorations. Even though her party wasn't until four o'clock, I thought it was a good idea considering the amount of decorations Edward had bought.

It was obvious he had no idea what he was doing with all the stuff, but adorable that he wanted to try to give his daughter the party she wanted. I understood his plight completely since I was guilty of spending nearly ten hours working on a castle shaped cake for the same little four year old. I actually impressed myself with the way the cake turned out, even though my first attempt ended up in the bottom of my kitchen garbage bin. No one needs to know that though.

"Okay, so…where do we get started?" Edward asked, dumping out the contents of both bags on the bar. The crinkle in the middle of his forehead confirmed my suspicions that he was clueless about what to do with everything.

"You, sir, should start by filling up all those balloons. Bethy and I will get the tables set. Then we'll hang up all the decorations together," I explained.

He was happy to follow my orders and set to the task without question. Bethy and I started unwrapping packages of tablecloths, plates, napkins, and cups. Once we had the dining table all set up we decorated a second table Edward had brought in for the presents and cake. I opened the top of the cake box and held my breath while I lifted the pink and purple castle out. I heard Bethy gasp as the peaks of the towers cleared the top.

"I knew you could do it!" she squealed. "It's perfect, Izzybelwa! Just like I knew it would be."

Edward turned to peer over the couch he was sitting on while filling up balloons and jumped up when he saw what I was doing. "Bella, let me help you with that," he said, rushing over to grab the cake.

We centered it on the table, and all of us stood back to appraise it. "That's amazing, Bella. How did you do it?" Edward asked.

I laughed and replied, "It took me all day, but I think it turned out pretty good."

"Ooooh, it even sparkles," Bethy noticed.

"It does. I went to a special store to buy supplies and the sales lady sold me some edible glitter to sprinkle on it. I thought it would look more like a fairytale castle that way," I explained.

"It really does," both of them admitted at the same time.

"I'm glad you like it, Jellybean. Now…let's finish decorating," I said.

An hour later, the place was covered in streamers, balloons, and princess wall hangings. I offered to fill up the party bags with the plastic favors and candy while Edward got Bethy dressed.

Esme, Carlisle, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice showed up about three o'clock with gifts and snacks for the party. Around three thirty the first guest arrived, and I was introduced to Bethy's best friend, Katie. Her mom came in behind her, carrying a furry pink duffle bag and a pillow. I introduced myself and took the sleepover items from her.

Not much longer the doorbell continued to ring every few minutes with the arrival of more party guests. I giggled to myself when I thought of the reaction the staff in the lobby must be having over the amount of strangers showing up at Edwards apartment.

One of the last guests to arrive was Sarah. We had mentioned her to Bethy, simply telling her that we had met a nice little girl we thought she could be good friends with. I had hoped they would've had a chance to meet before the party, but it didn't happen that way. I was a little nervous that Sarah would feel out of place around a bunch of strangers, but when her brother brought her in, Bethy played the perfect hostess and immediately made her feel welcomed in her circle of friends.

Most of the parents decided to drop their kids off and come back to pick them up after the party was over. The only one that planned to spend the night was Katie.

After filling up on snacks and delivery pizza, the kids played a game of musical chairs. Well, the kids plus Emmett. He even pouted when he lost after the third time around the chairs. I handed him a candy necklace as a consolation prize which cheered him up right away.

The kids played a couple more games like ring toss and pin the tail on the unicorn before everyone gathered around for cake and ice cream. I received so many compliments on the cake it became embarrassing. One of the other mom's even asked me if I would be willing to make one for her daughter's birthday. Obviously, I politely declined by telling her that I really didn't think I could recreate it again if I tried.

Shortly after the presents were opened, parents started arriving to pick up their kids. Sarah got along with Bethy and Katie so well that they asked if she could spend the night too. When I called Maria to find out, she was so happy Sarah had made new friends that she quickly agreed. I told her that Sarah could borrow a pair of Bethy's pajamas and I would bring her home after the girls got up in the morning.

"Wow. Who knew throwing a party could be that exhausting?" Edward asked after everyone had cleared out.

I laughed and added, "Yeah, and now we get to clean up all this mess."

He groaned and started helping me stuff torn wrapping paper into the large trash bag I was carrying around.

"At least all the dishes were just paper and we can throw them away," he commented, stuffing a pile of them into the trash.

We continued cleaning until the only things left were the balloons and streamers. We decided to leave them up so the girls could enjoy them for the night.

"We still have three little girls to entertain for the night, Mr. Cullen," I teased.

"Entertain?" he asked hesitantly. "I, uh…I figured they could just play until they pass out."

"Well…sure, but this is Bethy's first sleepover. You've got to make it good so her friends will want to come back for another one."

"Another one?" he questioned, eyes practically popping out of his head. "Let's make sure we survive this one before we start planning more."

"It's not that bad," I started to say before being interrupted by six little feet pounding into the room.

"Daddy! Can you put together my new castle tent you got me? We want to play wif it now," Bethy begged.

"Okay, okay," Edward answered, holding his hands up and giving in. He grabbed the box and started pulling out the tent pieces while the girls cheered him on.

"Well, if you girl's are going to play in a castle you better get dressed up like princesses. Don't you think?" I suggested as Bethy clapped her hands and led the girls back to her playroom to get dressed up.

Somehow, when the castle was done being built, Edward was recruited to play the part of the handsome prince that rode in on his stick pony to slay the stuffed dragon with a plastic spatula for a sword. That scene was just too funny not to capture it on video.

After we let the kids play for a while, we decided it was getting time to settle them down before bed. We promised them they could stay up to watch the new DVD of _Tangled_ I had given Bethy for her birthday, and Edward went to pop some popcorn while I took the girl's into Bethy's bedroom to get them changed into their night clothes.

Edward was settled on the couch with a bowl of popcorn when we came back in. The girls brought pillows with them and laid on the floor with smaller bowls of popcorn as Edward hit play on the remote. I started to sit down beside him when Bethy asked me if I could paint their nails while the movie was on. When I agreed, she ran and retrieved the nail polish set Aunt Rose had given her and handed it to me with a big smile on her face.

I scooted onto the floor next to the girls and started with painting Bethy's toes first before moving on to Katie and Sarah's feet.

"Daddy? Do you want Izzybelwa to paint yours too?" Bethy sweetly asked her dad.

"No way. That's just for pretty little girls, not boys," he answered, shaking his head 'no' the whole time.

By the time all three sets of toes and fingers were painted with the sparkly pink polish, Edward was fast asleep on the couch. I held a finger to my lips, directing the girls to keep quiet while I crept over to Edward's bare toes hanging off the edge. Despite their quiet giggles, he slept soundly while I brushed on the glittery pink.

When the movie was over I tucked all three girls into Bethy's bed and woke Edward up enough to drag him to his bed. I grabbed one of Edward's t-shirts and a pair of my yoga pants to wear to bed and fell asleep beside him.

When I woke up the next morning, alone in Edward's bed, I went to check on the girls. I found them perched at the bar in front of bowls of cereal and glasses of orange juice.

"Hungry?" Edward asked from the kitchen, pouring his own bowl of cereal.

"Not really, but I'll take a cup of coffee," I replied. I looked down at Edward's bare feet and smiled at his shiny pink toes. He pulled a cup from the cabinet and passed it to me. I waited for him to say something about the nail polish, but he never did. Apparently, he still hadn't noticed.

After breakfast, the girls got dressed and played in Bethy's room until Katie's mom showed up to get her. I left shortly after they did to drop Sarah off.

I missed dinner at the Cullen's again because I had to work, but I did receive a text message from Rosalie asking why Edward needed to borrow some nail polish remover when he got there. I laughed out loud when I read it, but saved Edward some embarrassment by not replying to her.

I made sure to get home early Monday morning so I could have breakfast with Alice. It had become a new habit of ours since we didn't spend as much time together as we use to. She was entering the kitchen just as I came through the front door.

"You're just in time, Bells. It's your turn to cook," she called out.

"Alice, it's always my turn to cook. When it's your turn we have cold cereal or toasted bagels. That's hardly cooking," I teased her.

"True, but I bought muffins for breakfast last Monday so it really is your turn. I'm in the mood for omelets, by the way."

"Too bad Jasper's not here. He's the omelet king, but I'll do my best," I said, pulling all the ingredients from the fridge. "I miss Jasper. I have to work late tonight, but tomorrow I'll be home early enough to make dinner for the three of us. Sound good?"

"Sounds great, but when you say 'home' you do mean here, right? 'Cause I was starting to wonder if you moved in with Edward recently. You have been spending every night there lately," Alice stated with a wicked smile and a raised brow.

I hadn't planned on having the 'moving out' conversation so soon, but it seemed like the perfect opening so I tested the water a bit. "Funny you should say that…Uh, Edward did ask me to move in with him, but I haven't given him an answer yet."

"What?" she screamed, jumping out of her seat and grapping my arm. "Holy shit, Bella! When did this happen? I was just joking, but this…this is big news! Like…really big. Huge! Why haven't you told me? Wait…why haven't you said yes yet?"

I shrugged my shoulders and tried to downplay it a bit. "He asked on New Year's Eve and I haven't said yes yet because I'm not sure what I want to do. Like you said, this is really big."

"Yeah, but…big in a good way, right? You're practically living there already. What's holding you back?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

"Nothing, I guess. Honestly…I know I'll end up saying yes sooner or later. I'm just not in a hurry to leave you yet. Have you and Jasper ever talked about moving in together?"

"Not really, but you know he sort of lives here already. At this point his place is basically acting as a storage unit to hold all of his stuff. If you're worrying about leaving me without a roommate, don't. You do whatever makes you happy. This is what life's all about. Growing up. Moving on. Building our own lives. We'll always be best friends, and we'll always make time for each other. Besides, it's not like you'd be moving that far. I'm sure we'll still see each other almost as much as we do now. But, if you're not ready, then don't rush. I bet Edward would wait for you forever," Alice said, making my decision a little bit easier.

"Thanks, Ali. I really do love you. We'll talk about this more later, but right now I want your opinion on a certain office assistant that wants to sink her claws into my man." I told her, partly to change the subject, but mostly to hear her advice.

We talked about the conversation I overheard in the bathroom and joked about a few possible ways to 'get rid of her'. By the time Alice was ready to leave for work, I was starting to get ready for my lunch date with Edward.

"Go mark your territory, B," Alice yelled as she was leaving. I laughed and opened my closet, looking for the long dress coat I knew was in there.

I almost lost the nerve to go through with my plan on the drive to Edward's office. I knew how strongly he felt about inappropriate behavior at the office, but maybe that only applied when I was employed there. Hearing Gianna's words in my head, I steeled my resolve and stepped into the elevator.

"Hey, Bella. You're early. Edward's still in a conference, but he should be done soon," Rose greeted as soon as she saw me.

"That's okay. I'll just wait in his office. We'll probably stay in for lunch today," I replied, holding up the lunch bag in my hand.

I'd almost forgotten I was here to check out the new assistant until a throat cleared and a irritated female voice said, "It may be a while. Mr. Cullen always takes his lunch at twelve o'clock."

I turned to the bitch and answered, "Oh, I'm well aware of what time Mr. Cullen takes his lunch, but today we're having lunch early."

She gave me a smirk and said, "That's right. You started out in my position a few months ago, didn't you?"

_What a bitch! _I could tell she was trying to intimidate me and make me feel insecure. "Yes, I did. It was a great job. Sometimes I miss it, but the benefits I have now are much better."

Before she had a chance to say anything else, I turned and started down the hallway to Edward's office. I heard her 'whisper talk' to Rose, "Do you think it's a good idea to let her in his office? Won't Mr. Cullen be upset?"

Rose let out a good laugh and said, "That girl can do whatever she wants as far as Mr. Cullen's concerned."

I shut the door behind me and let out a shaky breath, remembering I had my big girl panties on, literally. They were lacy black thongs, accompanied by a matching corset with garters and silky, black, thigh high stockings which was all I had on under my long coat.

I walked over to Edward's desk and cleared all the papers off, neatly stacking them in a pile on the floor. I tossed my coat on the back of his chair and hopped my nervous ass up on his executive desk facing his chair. Then I waited anxiously.

The door opened and Edward stepped in, quickly closing it behind him. He was leaning against the door with his mouth half hanging open. When I heard the click of the lock I smiled and said, "I brought you lunch."

He stalked over to me and stood between my legs. He eyes raked over my body as he bit his bottom lip. I sat perfectly still, watching him as he gently caressed my neck before trailing a finger down the center of my chest. "I see," were the only words he spoke before hungrily attacking my mouth with his.

I pushed his suit jacket over his shoulders and he let if fall to the floor. I pulled him closer, wrapping my legs around him and kissing him fiercely. When he moaned into my mouth, I placed my hands against his chest and pushed until he was seated in his chair.

"Since I'm no longer employed here, is this still inappropriate office behavior?" I asked.

"It's definitely inappropriate and definitely appreciated," he answered before leaning forward and licking the top of my uncovered thigh. I opened my legs a little wider and ran my finger down the center of the lacy thong.

"Maybe you should let someone know you're taking your lunch now so we won't be disturbed," I suggested.

Edward leaned around me, hugging my waist to his body while he hit the intercom button on his office phone. "Miss Hale, I'll be having lunch in my office today. Please hold all my calls and let everyone know I'm not to be disturbed until Miss Swan leaves." The authoritative tone of his voice almost had me coming undone right then. After a knowing 'yes, sir' he disconnected the line.

He leaned back into his chair as his eyes appraised me once again. "Isabella, you look so fucking sexy sitting on my desk dressed like that. You have no idea the number of fantasies I've had about this."

His words sparked a new courage in me. "Sounds like we've had the same kind of fantasies, Mr. Cullen," I purred, sliding my thong to the side as I stroked my fingers across my wet center.

Edward visibly swallowed hard. His eyes danced with so much lust I knew he was having a hard time not bolting out of his chair and attacking me. I positioned myself closer to the edge of the desk, propping my heeled feet on the armrests of his chair. He grabbed both my ankles and held them firmly in place, vacillating between watching my fingers rub between my legs and staring into my eyes.

I noticed how he shifted in his seat, adjusting for the growing situation in his pants. I could see the outline of his hard cock pressing against the material. I got even wetter at the thought of sliding off the desk and onto his rock hard erection. I let out an involuntary moan and plunged my fingers deep inside.

"Damn, you're so fucking hot," he breathed out, his voice sounding rough and dry.

"Are you just going to watch me, or were you planning on joining in?" I asked, desperate for his touch.

"Looks like you're doing pretty good on your own. Right now I want to watch you touch yourself. Show me what you like, Isabella," he commanded in that oh so sexy voice.

I pulled my fingers out and slowly spread my juices up and down, moaning in pleasure each time I grazed across my swollen nub. "Mmmmmm…Edward."

"That's it, baby. Make yourself feel good."

My fingers started moving a little faster as I rolled my head back and let the sensation of my self pleasure take over. I felt a small pull on the top of my corset as Edward untied the bow and loosened the strings enough to lower the fabric, exposing my breast.

I licked my lips, watching him watch me. My left hand began toying with my nipples while my other hand continued to rub faster against my throbbing clit. My body could feel his eyes caressing me as if he were actually touching me everywhere.

"Fuck…you're so fucking wet, Isabella. You're dripping all over my desk and the air is so fucking thick with the smell of your arousal. I can tell you're getting close. Let go. Let me see you come undone."

His words should have embarrassed me on some level, but I was so lost in the huskiness of his voice and the heat of his stare that I couldn't feel any shame. My fingers plunged in deep again, my other hand leaving my breast to clinch the inside of my thigh.

"You like pleasing yourself in front of me, don't you? Does it turn you on to know how much you're driving me fucking crazy right now?" he asked with a strained voice.

It turned me on a lot. It also made me crave having him deep inside me instead of my own fingers. "Edward, I need you. Touch me…please," I started to beg.

"You have until the count of five to bring yourself over the edge before I devour you. Go ahead and fall, Isabella. I'm right here to catch you," he said before he started counting, dragging the numbers out agonizingly slow. "One…" Dark green eyes burned into my soul.

"Two…" I closed my eyes and felt his nose skim up the inside of my silk stocking. I was breathing hard, my chest rising and falling with each ragged breath.

"Three…" He pressed a wet kiss on the skin above that stocking, and I started rocking my hips with the rhythm of my pumping fingers. I had a desperate urge to reach my climax before the end of the countdown.

"Four…" His hot breath washed over my center seconds before he ran his tongue across my fingers. My insides clinched tight, ready for the explosion that was imminent.

On the count of five I came hard. Half conscious, I let out a scream as his mouth immediately started sucking up my juices. One large hand gripped my hipbone while the other splayed across my chest, pressing lightly to lower me onto the desk.

His tongue pushed it's way inside me swirled against my walls. Strong fingers pressed against my clit, invoking another orgasm. I thrashed against his cold, wooden desk, moaning and begging for and against his touch. It was almost too intense to endure.

As the final waves of ecstasy washed through me, Edward placed a soft kiss right at my center and stood up. The sound of his belt unbuckling, along with my panting lungs, broke through the air.

"Hold on tight, baby. This could get a little rough," he ordered as his pants fell to the ground. With both hands, he grabbed my hips firmly and almost jerked me off the desk as he pulled me to him. I stretched out my arms and gripped the edge of the desk above my head. The moment he entered me, I finally felt complete.

"Ungh…you feel so fucking good. So hot…so wet…" he practically growled.

"Oh, Edward! This is what I wanted…you…pumping into me hard," I replied with a growl of my own. "Fuck me, Edward! Show me what makes _you_ feel good."

He quickened his pace, hitting deeper and deeper with each thrust. "I'm not gonna last long…too tight…too good," he growled again. "Fuuuuuck!"

I wrapped my legs around his waist, holding us together. His hands found my breasts, fingers digging in slightly as he squeezed them while leaning over to kiss me. My hands grabbed frantically to every part of his body I could reach as our hips pounded roughly against each other. The beating against the desk knocked the phone over the edge, the sound of broken plastic scattered across the floor.

His forehead fell against mine. Dark green eyes locked with wild brown ones. "Give me one more, Isabella," he whispered. My body obeyed almost instantly, no longer under my control, but his. "Good girl," he teased with a small smirk, pumping into me a few more times before his weight relaxed on top of me as he moaned through his release.

"So fucking good. I love you, baby," he praised.

"I love you too, Edward."

He helped me up from the desk, massaging my shoulders and rubbing my back while asking if I was okay. I brushed away his concern with a kiss and started righting my clothes while Edward redressed himself.

I walked around the desk and picked up the pieces of the broken phone, holding them up for Edward to see. He laughed, took the pieces from my hand, and dropped them into the trash.

I picked up the lunch bag I brought in and said, "You still haven't had lunch, Mr. Cullen."

He gave me a devilish smile and replied, "Oh, I definitely had my lunch, Miss Swan."

I giggled and slapped him across the chest playfully. "Well, I'll just leave our sandwiches here in case you get hungry later."

I grabbed my coat and started to put in on, causing him to give me a strange look. "Where are the rest of your clothes?"

"What? This is what I wore over here."

His eyes almost popped out of his head as he stammered out, "Th-that…that's all you wore? You drove all the way across town in _just that_?"

"Yes. Edward, my coat completely covers everything," I explained.

"So, this whole 'lunch' was premeditated then? You're a very naughty girl, Miss Swan."

I laughed at his formal use of my name and added, "Mmm, maybe next time I'll show up in a school girl uniform and let you punish me for being so naughty while I'm bent over your desk."

"Bella…" he groaned, stretching out my name and pulling me in for long kiss. "You really did just bring one of my fantasies to life. I can't even tell you how hard it was working with you when that was in the back of my mind most of the time."

"Oh, I did notice how 'hard' it was most of the time," I teased with a wink. "Walk me out, Mr. Cullen?"

With a hand on the small of my back, he let me to the door. As we started to walk down the hallway, he leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Tonight I'm going to fuck you for hours in our bed."

My whole body shivered from his promise, and my heart melted with the words 'our bed'. We needed to have that talk with Bethy soon; I'm ready.

Just as we reached Rosalie's desk, she looked up and gave us a knowing smirk and asked, "Good lunch?"

Edward cleared his throat and answered, "It was. Miss Hale, can you call downstairs and have someone send up a new phone. Mine…uh, accidentally got knocked over. I'm going to need a new one."

"Sure thing, boss," she said with a smile, picking up her phone to grant his request. I blushed a little, knowing that Rosalie was on to us.

Edward took my hand and led me to the elevator. "Thanks for bringing me lunch," he said, straightening the collar of my coat and eyeing me to make sure I was properly covered. When I stepped into the elevator, he gave me a pointed look and added, "Bella, make sure you go straight home."

I smiled at his concern and told him I would see him later. From the corner of my eye I notice Gianna sitting at her desk with a scowl on her face. Right before the doors closed, I gave her a big smile and a confident look that said, "_Don't fuck with my man, bitch!"_


	32. Ch32 The Threat

Chapter 32

EPOV

It had been brought to my attention by Rose that my new assistant might have been harboring some sort of crush on me. To be honest, it wasn't really that unusual for me to have to deal with unwanted attention from women, especially past assistants. What was unusual was the fact that it had to be pointed out to me by someone else. I guess Bella had ruined me for all other women. It wasn't hard to ignore other women when I honestly didn't notice anyone but her.

As a rule I purposely kept things on a strictly professional level to avoid those kind of office crushes and created enough distance to squash any hopes they had of gaining my affections. After a few weeks of their attempts going unnoticed, they usually figured out it was a lost cause and accepted an appropriate employee/boss relationship. However, there were a couple of times when the challenge only fueled their obsession, and I had to have them transferred to another department or fired altogether in one case.

Once Rose made me aware of the possible situation with Gianna, I tried to pay attention a little more to make sure she wasn't one of the ones that needed to be transferred. So far I couldn't determine if any of her actions warranted such a measure, but I did notice her subtle attempts at flirting a few times. Her office attire was also a bit more revealing than it should have been, but not enough to address the problem. Besides, if I mentioned anything of that nature she would probably consider it a success that I had noticed. I decided to continue to ignore her while I kept an eye on her behavior. If it became a problem, I would deal with it swiftly.

After a particularly long conference meeting, I made my way back to my office while wishing time would speed up so I could meet Bella for lunch soon. As soon as I stepped off the elevator it seemed my wish was granted.

"Mr. Cullen, I wanted to make you aware that there is a Miss Swan waiting for you in your office. I wasn't sure about letting her in, but Miss Hale seemed to think is would be fine with you," Gianna sputtered.

I couldn't stop the grin that escaped when I realized Bella was early and I was only seconds away from seeing her. "Thankyou, Miss Ricci. And Miss Hale was correct. Miss Swan is always welcome in my office whenever she stops by," I answered.

I silently chuckled at the smug look Rose tossed Gianna's way as I passed her desk. I could tell she was struggling not to blurt out an 'I told you so', but the glint in her eyes also told me that I wasn't the only one keeping an eye on Gianna's antics.

When I opened the door to my office my knees nearly gave out from the sexiest sight I had ever seen perched on the edge of my desk. I mean, talk about a fantasy come to life. The girl really had no idea just what she did to me. She surprised me at every turn, and this was one of the best surprises yet. Yes, Bella Swan was definitely welcome in my office anytime!

Watching her pleasure herself completely blew my mind. It was by far the most erotic thing I had ever witnessed. I had no idea how I held out as long as I did, especially when she started begging me to touch her. As much as I was enjoying the show, the look of desire in her eyes made me start the countdown. My girl did not disappoint as she pushed herself over the edge seconds before I devoured her.

I was tempted to keep Bella locked in my office forever. Visions of chaining her naked body to my desk flooded my imagination along with a million other fantasies. Sadly, she had to go to work, so I tucked those thoughts away and walked her to the elevator. I also noticed the look of victory in her eyes when she smiled at Gianna before the elevator doors closed. I knew Bella wasn't really the jealous type, but she sure as hell knew how to stake her claim when she felt threatened. The idea of her marking me as her territory made me smile for the rest of the day, and I most certainly gave her the hours of loving I promised her that night.

Bella and I were both extremely busy with work for the next couple of days, so we barely had time to talk. Basically, we met in bed each night, but were too tired to do much more than cuddle and sleep.

Distracted by going through the thick spreadsheets covering my desk, I didn't hear the knock on my door and was startled by Gianna's presence in front of me. I jolted in my chair and admitted, "Sorry, I didn't hear you knock. What did you need, Miss Ricci?"

"Sorry if I startled you, but I did knock. When you didn't answer I let myself in to give you this," she stated, holding out a brown envelope for me to take. "It was marked urgent, so I assumed you would want it delivered right away."

"Thank you," I replied, taking the envelope and waiting for the following silence to cue her to leave. It took her a few moments to get the hint.

She tapped her finger on the desk to get my attention and said, "It seems like you're overloaded with work there. If you need me to take on some extra duties just let me know. I'd be glad to help you work through all this paperwork if you wanted me to."

"Thank you, but this is really something only I can do. I appreciate the offer though," I answered politely, wondering why she was really still hanging around after delivering urgent mail to me.

"Oh, okay then. Well…let me know if there's anything else I can do for you," she said with a smile before sashaying out of the room.

I glanced at the mail in my hand and noted that there was no information regarding the sender. In fact, the only thing printed on the outside was my name with a red 'URGENT' stamped across it. I tore the end open and dumped the contents onto my desk.

My brow crinkled in confusion when I recognized the first few photos were of my old Volvo. The one that Bella now drove. I started flipping through the pile and became more disturbed as the next few pictures were of Bella parking the car in front of her apartment. I flipped to a shot of Bella getting out of the car. Then a close up of her face. Several more shots showed her walking toward her building, ascending the stairs, and approaching her door. My confusion turned into concern as the next picture was a close up of her hand holding her key ring as she unlocked the door. The last picture showed Bella slipping through the half open door.

An uneasy feeling settled over me as I examined the envelope for some sort of clue behind the purpose of the photos. When I noticed a stiff piece of paper stuck inside, I pulled it out. Chills immediately ran down my spine as soon as my eyes caught sight of the cut out magazine print pasted on the page to form the cryptic note. All my blood ran cold when I read the words: _You took my life away…now I'm taking yours._

I bolted from my desk and ran out of my office in a panic. I had no idea who sent the envelope or why, but they had one thing right. Bella was my life. If she was in danger…if something happened to her…my soul would follow hers. I would be an empty shell without her.

I didn't know what I was doing. I couldn't think rationally. I frantically pressed the elevator button what seemed like a million times. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Gianna sitting at her desk, staring at me in shock. I turned my anger toward her, somehow holding her responsible because she had been the one to deliver the package.

"Where did you get that envelope? Tell me! Who gave it to you?" I shouted, grabbing her desk and shaking it.

Her frightened eyes widened and she sputtered, "I…it…a courier brought it to the lobby. I had to go down and pick it up from the reception desk down there."

"Edward…what's going on?" Rose questioned in a worried tone.

I ignored Rose's question and glared at Gianna. "You're only job right now is to find out where that envelope came from. Interrogate the receptionist…pull the video feed on the surveillance tapes…track down the courier company. Do whatever it takes! Do you understand? If anything happens to Bella…don't expect to still have a job here."

"Edward! What's wrong with Bella?" Rose asked impatiently, frustrated by my lack of acknowledgement.

Ignoring her again, my eyes bore into Gianna's. "Do it now! And call me the second you know something." She nodded her head and followed me into the elevator. I heard Rose calling my name again before the closing of the doors silenced her.

Nervously, Gianna's trembling voice asked, "What was in that envelope, Mr. Cullen?"

I shook my head, letting her know I wasn't going to explain anything further. When the elevator opened up on the first floor we both exited, and I took off like a bolt of lightning, barely hearing Gianna promising to find out what I needed to know.

Once I was in my car, I sped off towards Bella's apartment. I called her cell and got the voicemail before remembering that she was working in her office today. My shaky fingers pressed the button to call her at work. Bella wasn't there, but the lady who answered the phone let me know that she had left early because she wasn't feeling well. I tried her cell again with no luck. My foot pressed down harder on the gas pedal as I raced towards her place praying to God that she was okay.

My mind scrambled to come up with any idea of who would have sent that note. I pondered past women I had been with. Maybe a scorned lover's revenge? I dismissed that thought as quickly as it came to me. The note said that I took their life away. I doubted that a one night stand would result in that extreme of a statement. Maybe Tanya? She was the only one I could think of that would even consider that statement to be true. Maybe after I dismissed her attempt to get back together she lost her mind completely.

Then I screamed out in worry for my daughter. If Tanya actually was crazy she might try to take Bethy. I pulled out my phone and called her school. After having them check and confirm that Bethy was still there and safe, I instructed them to keep her inside until only my mother or I showed up to get her.

The next thing I did was call my mom and told her to pick Bethy up right away and go straight to Dad's office until I got there. I'm sure my behavior freaked her out, but I told her I didn't have time to explain. She agreed to wait for me in Dad's office before I hung up and tried Bella's number again. It went straight to voice mail which had my mind circling through horrible scenarios of what might have happened to her.

A few minutes later, I came to a screeching halt in front of her building. My heart was pounding out of my chest as I ran up the stairs and started pounding on her door loudly.

"Bella! Bella! Open up! Bella!" I called out, beating desperately against the metal door and wishing I had a key to get in. I heard one of her neighbors crack their door to see what was going on. When I turned to face them, they slammed the door shut. They were probably already calling the cops to report a psycho trying to break down Bella's door. I realized that calling the cops was probably a good idea, and I continued to beat against the door. If she didn't answer the door soon I contemplated asking the nosy neighbor if they had seen or heard anything suspicious.

BPOV

The past couple of days had been exhausting. Work was overwhelming me, the assignments were draining, and the only time spent with Edward was in his arms while we both slept. I was anxious to have the 'moving in' talk with him, but unfortunately it took a back seat to some much needed sleep after the long hours at work.

I groaned at the thought of leaving work early on Thursday, knowing that it would only add to the pile of work I would have to make up later. I tried to get as much work as I could done before I had to call it quits due to the sickening headache I had all morning.

I thought about going to Edward's to take a nap in his cozy bed, but I remembered it was also the day Maggie, the cleaning lady, would be there. Not wanting to be disturbed, I opted for my own bed instead.

As soon as I got home, I turned my cell phone off, popped a couple of Tylenol, and nestled into my covers to block out the world for a couple of hours. My sleep was disturbed by the incessant pounding in my head. Ducking under the pillows, I tried to relax enough to ease the pain, until I realized it wasn't in my head. There was someone beating on my door in the middle of the day. Grumbling, I stumbled out of bed and went to answer the door, deciding on the way that if it was the UPS guy with some stupid delivery I would cuss him out for not just leaving the package on the doorstep.

The closer I got, I could hear what sounded like moaning accompanying the loud knocking. I checked the peephole before opening the door and gasped at the image on the other side. Edward was slumped against the door, anguish written all over his face. Quickly, I jerked the door open and wrapped him in my arms.

"Edward, what happened? What's wrong?"

He clung to me tightly, his whole body shaking and his breath ragged. I tried to pull away to get a better look him, but he wouldn't let me go. Instead he just kept mumbling my name into my hair.

"I'm here, Edward. I'm here. Baby, you're scaring me. What's wrong?" I asked, heartbroken to see him so lost and scared.

Finally, he loosened his hold enough for me look into his eyes. They were red rimmed with dark circles underneath. I wiped a trail of tears from his cheek, and my own eyes watered at the possibilities of what had broken him so badly. I had never seen Edward cry. Even when Esme was in critical condition in the hospital, he held himself together.

"Oh, my god! Did something happen to Bethy?" I cried.

Edward just shook his head to tell me no and wrapped me tighter in his arms again. "Bella…you're here…you're safe. Thank God! Are you okay?"

I didn't understand what was going on with him, but I tried to comfort him by assuring him that I was fine. "Of course I'm okay. I'm here. I'm safe, Edward."

Suddenly he pushed me through the doorway and shut the door behind him, locking the deadbolt and securing the chain. "We have to go, Bella. Get your purse…your keys…anything important that you might need right away. You can't stay here anymore. It's not safe. I can't let anything happen to you. I'll send someone over to get your car and the rest of your things later," he rambled. "Hurry. We need to leave as soon as possible."

I wanted to ask him again what was wrong. I wanted to demand he stop and explain things to me, but seeing the state of panic he was in made me save those questions for later.

I turned around to grab my purse and Edward darted down the hall to my bedroom. He was already shoving some of my belongings into a duffle bag by the time I caught up to him. Within minutes he was pulling me outside towards his car. His deathlike grip never letting go of my hand until I was safely buckled inside.

When he got into the car his phone started ringing. I saw Esme's name light up on the screen before his answered it. "Do you have Bethy with you? Where are you?" he asked in place of 'hello'. "Don't leave. Bella and I will be there in a few minutes," he ordered before hanging up.

"So…Bethy's okay?" I asked, silently freaking out.

"Yeah."

"Where are we going, Edward?"

"To the office. My parents are waiting for us there with Bethy," he answered, keeping his eyes on the road as he darted around the slower cars in our lane.

Nothing else was said until his phone rang again. This time I didn't recognize the number on the screen.

"What did you find out?" he barked into his cell. "Damn it!" he shouted as he ended the call.

Silence filled the car again. Even though I had a million questions, I was afraid to ask. I waited until Edward spoke again.

"Bella, you can't go back to your apartment. It's not safe there. You'll be moving in with me…at least for now. Don't even try to argue about this right now. I couldn't…I can't…I can't lose you, Bella," he said firmly but sincerely.

"You're not going to lose me. I'm not going to argue about moving in with you either, but you do know I'll need an explanation about all this, right?"

He nodded and said, "I know. Please just let me get to the office first. Once we're all together I'll fill everyone in. This has been a really fucked up day."

I bit my lip and nodded back, accepting his terms. Then a thought occurred to me. "Edward, if the apartment isn't safe, is Alice going to be in danger?"

"Shit! I don't really think so, but you better call her anyway and ask her not to go home yet. I'm sure she can spend the night with Jasper. I'll know more after we figure a few things out."

I called Alice and left a message on her voicemail, but I was worried she wouldn't check her messages before she went home. Edward called Jasper to relay the message and told him he would call him later and explain more.

We finally got to the Cullen Corporation and met Carlisle, Esme, and Bethy in Carlisle's office. Emmett and Rose were there too. You could feel the tension already present in the room as soon as we stepped through the door.

Rosalie was the first one to speak as she walked over to give me a hug. "Bella, are you okay?" I breathed out a quiet 'yes' before she turned to Edward and slapped him on his arm. "You had me worried to death! I expect a full explanation later, but for now I'm going to take Bethy in the next room and print off some coloring pages for her while you fill everyone else in on your crazy behavior."

"Thanks, Rose," he replied, letting out a heavy breath and walking over to Bethy to pick her up for a good squeeze. "Baby, go color a picture with Auntie Rose, and when we're done with our meeting we'll go home and order pizza for dinner. Okay?"

Bethy smiled at the promise of pizza and asked, "Is Izzybelwa coming home wif us too?"

Edward nodded to confirm that I was and said, "Yes, she's coming home with us when we leave here. She's actually going to be moving in with us for a while. Her apartment's not…good enough for her to stay in right now."

Four questioning sets of eyes moved to gauge my reaction. Not knowing what to say, I gave them a small smile with the hope that it was enough to convince them I was happy with the move.

"Yay!" Bethy squealed, squirming out of Edward's arms to run over and hug my leg. "I'm so happy you're going to be living wif us! You don't have to leave when your apartment gets better. You can stay wif us forever, Izzybelwa!"

I smiled through the nervous tears that were threatening to spill and bent down to kiss her little head. It wasn't exactly the way I imagined having that talk, but the results were what I had hoped for. Knowing she was so happy with the decision warmed my heart. "Thanks, Jellybean," I said, straightening up as Rose took her hand to lead her out of the room.

When they were out of hearing range, Carlisle spoke up, "Okay. Explain, Edward."

I watched him drag his fingers through his hair and say, "An envelope was delivered to my office today. I don't know who sent it, but it implied that Bella was in danger. There were some photos and…"

"What do you mean 'implied'? Where is the package now?" Carlisle asked.

"Shit! I left everything on my desk. I had Gianna trying to find out who it came from. She was the one who picked it up from the front desk. She didn't have any luck though. The surveillance tapes showed that a little kid dropped it off and took off before anyone could speak to him," Edward explained.

"First, go get the envelope and the contents of it and bring it up here so we can see it. I'll call security and request the footage from this mornings tapes. Maybe Gianna missed something. We'll check all the tapes from every camera in the lobby and the front of the building. Maybe there will be more clues on some of them," Carlisle instructed.

Edward nodded and ran out of the room to retrieve the items. Esme looked distraught, worrying her hands in her lap. "Bella, do you have any idea what's going on?" she asked.

"No. Edward didn't really explain anything to me when he picked me up from my apartment. This is the first I've heard about any photos," I answered, not having any more information than they did.

"If someone's threatening Bella or Edward they're not going to get away with it," Emmett vowed from his seat next to Carlisle.

"Let's try to decipher all the facts first and go from there," Carlisle decided. "Bella, is moving in with Edward something you both want? Don't get me wrong…I'm happy to hear it. It just came a little unexpectedly. If it's a rash decision made because of the fear that you may be in danger…there are plenty of ways to ensure your safety."

Before I could answer, Edward's voice rang out from behind the chair I was sitting in. "Bella's staying with me. There is no acceptable alternative. I'll also have increased security measures implemented." His tone left no room for arguing as he tossed the evidence on Carlisle's desk.

A stack of pictures scattered across the desktop, accompanied by the paralyzing note. I heard Esme gasp, her hand flying to her mouth. Emmett slammed his fist down on the wooden desk, and Carlisle picked up the note to read it aloud. Edward sank down in the chair beside me and wrapped a protective arm around me.

All I could do was stare at the pictures that were obviously taken a few hours earlier. I was still wearing the same clothes, my hair styled the same. The shot of me walking through my door made me realize how close someone had to have been following me to have taken that picture. It was getting harder to breathe. My mind searched for some memory of anyone around when I got home. Of anything that seemed out of place. My mind came up empty. It shocked me how unaware of my surroundings I must have been. I would have expected at least some sense of unease if the threat of danger had been so close.

Edward must have felt me tense beside him. He squeezed me closer and said, "Breathe, Bella. It's gonna be okay. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. You're safe now."

"Who would have sent this?" Esme finally asked.

"I have no idea. I can't think of anyone that would blame me for ruining their life…except maybe Tanya. It doesn't seem like something she would do, but…"

Carlisle shook his head and commented, "It might seem unlikely, but I suppose anything is a possibility right now. This is a serious threat. Have you called the police yet?"

"No. My first priority was to get Bella and Bethy to safety. If it is Tanya, they could both be in danger. I don't…I just don't know what to think," Edward admitted.

Emmett pulled out his phone and started dialing, "I'll have the police come over right away. Dad, we're going to need all those security tapes. And Edward…get Gianna in here too. Maybe there's something more she could tell us. Plus, I'm sure the police will want to question her too."

Edward pulled out his phone the same time Carlisle did. All three of them got up and started pacing as they demanded all the things they needed from the people on the other end of the line.

While we waited for everyone to arrive, we all questioned each other for ideas on possible suspects. None of us had a clue, and we all agreed that Tanya seemed like the most likely culprit.

Edward called Jasper and asked him and Alice to join us at the office. He also called his security company and ordered extra protection. Apparently, all the Cullens were going to have someone posted guard at their homes, and Bethy and I were both getting our own personal body guards. Edward wasn't taking any chances with our safety.

Jasper and Alice arrived and were filled in right before the police showed up. The officers questioned Gianna, Edward, the front desk receptionist, and me. They collected the envelope, pictures, and note as evidence and said they would be dusting for fingerprints as well. Carlisle handed them a copy of all the surveillance tapes, and Edward gave them whatever information he had on Tanya so they could check out that theory.

It was later than we expected when we finally got home. Bethy was tired and almost fell asleep while eating her pizza, but she was still giddy about the news of me moving in. Rose had kept her occupied during the investigation at the office, and we made sure not to say anything in front of her that would let her know something was wrong.

A few minutes after Edward put Bethy to bed there was a knock at the door. Edward opened the door and ushered four large men into the apartment.

"Thank you for coming over so quickly," he greeted. "Bella, these men are from our security department. They've all known and worked for my dad for many years. All of them are well trusted by my family."

I voiced a meek 'hello' before Edward continued with the introductions.

"Garrett is one of our private investigators. He'll be helping to solve this case," Edward informed as I was greeted with a nod from Garrett. "Alec, Seth, and Peter are members of our security team. Alec will be guarding the building from an unnoticeable location outside so you probably won't be seeing him much. When he's not on duty someone else will take his place. Seth is assigned as Bethy's bodyguard when she's at school. Peter will be your shadow until this is all over. He'll be posted outside the door before you leave every morning and follow you wherever you go until you're home for the night."

I looked at Peter, surprised by the announcement. I received no greeting as I took in his stance. He was tall with ripped muscles bulging underneath his dark green, long sleeve t-shirt that fit tightly to his body. He wore jeans and black running shoes. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back and his feet shoulder width apart, his attention directed on the scene in front of him.

My eyes scanned the other guards to notice that Alec was dressed much like Peter while Garrett and Seth's attire matched more the 'Men in Black' image I had in my head. I looked back to Edward when he started speaking again.

"I know it seems like a lot, but I don't want you to feel overwhelmed by their presence when you do see them. Peter will be as least intrusive in your life as allowed. Just know that he'll only be a few steps behind you always. He can drive you wherever you need to go, but I thought you would prefer to drive yourself and just have him follow you. It's up to you though," Edward finished.

"Well, how nice that I have a choice," I mumbled, still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I would have someone watching my every move for who knows how long.

Edward carefully approached me and pulled me a few feet aside, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Bella, I know this is a lot to take in, but I have to keep you safe. Aside from locking you away in the apartment until the threat is gone, this is the only way I can do that. Peter will stay out of your way; he'll just be close by in case you need him. Otherwise, go about your normal routine and try to forget all this mess. I'm so sorry I've dragged you into this nightmare," his voice cracked with the last sentence.

I could tell he was on the edge of his breaking point, so I didn't push. I simply agreed to go along with whatever would make him feel better about my safety. "It's not your fault. Please don't think for a minute that I blame you for any of this. Some crazy asshole is fucking with our life, but it's not your fault. I'll do whatever you think is necessary to stay safe. We'll get through this. But I would prefer to drive myself for now."

"Thank you," he whispered just before planting a soft kiss to my temple. "I just wanted you to know what was going on and to meet the security members that you'll have the most contact with. Why don't you go take a nice warm bath and go on to bed while I go over details with the team?"

"Okay," I agreed. I gave a small wave to the group and turned to Peter to say, "I guess I'll see you in the morning."

"Yes, ma'am," he responded.

I walked down the hall, the voices of the men in the living room fading as I headed towards our bedroom. I shook my head at the realization that this was my home now. We never had the discussion I planned, and the circumstances were far from ideal, but the thought of Edward and I being a domestic couple still made me smile.

I had no idea what time Edward came to bed or if he ever came to bed because I woke up the next morning all alone. There was a note on the pillow where his sleepy head should have been.

_Good morning, baby! Sorry I'm not here when you woke up. I had to meet Garrett at the office before I started work today, and I knew you needed the rest after the day we had yesterday. Call me when you get up so I can hear your beautiful voice and tell you how much I love you. Peter will be waiting outside the front door when you're ready to leave. Have a great day and stay safe. My love always, Edward_

I rolled over and grabbed my phone, yawning and stretching as I dialed his number. He answered right away with 'I love you' instead of 'hello'.

"I love you, too. How's your day so far?" I replied.

"Good, but busy. I still have Garrett here. He's going over everything the police did yesterday and he's already got information on Tanya's home and work address in California. He's going to fly out later today and do some investigating there."

"Oh, well…that's good, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's a start. I'll let you know what happens as soon as I hear. I gotta go, baby. Stay safe today and remember how much you mean to me," he said before hanging up.

I got dressed and decided I would stop off for coffee and a muffin on my way to work. I almost forgot about my 'shadow' until I almost ran into the back of him on my way out the front door.

"Damn! I mean…sorry. I almost forgot about you. So…uh, do you want to go to the corner coffee shop for a quick breakfast?" I stammered. I still wasn't sure how this was all suppose to work.

"I'll follow you wherever you decide to go, Miss Swan," he stated.

"Okay. Well, that was better than calling me ma'am, but if we're going to be hanging around each other you're going to have to call me Bella. Okay if I call you Pete?" I said with a smile.

"Peter works fine, Miss Swan," he answered, a small smile playing back.

"Let's go, Pete! Coffee and a muffin. My treat," I laughed as he followed me into the elevator. I could tell he wanted to laugh too, but he was in serious job mode. I was determined to crack his armor before the day was out.


	33. Ch33 Moving Day

Chapter 33

BPOV

I was learning how to maneuver through my day with a bodyguard on my tail. That was something that was definitely going to take some getting use to. Since I wanted to drive myself instead of being driven everywhere like Miss Daisy, I had to follow two rules. Peter said that I had to wait until I saw him pulling up behind me before I drove off, and I had to wait until I saw him exit his car before I got out of mine when I parked. Simply enough, right? Not so simply in New York traffic.

I sat in my car by the coffee shop for at least five minutes before Peter parked and emerged in my rear view mirror. I waited until he was almost at my door before getting out. He walked with me into the busy coffee shop and posted himself to the right of the door while I got in line to order. I looked back to ask him what he wanted and noticed him subtly casing the place.

I cleared my throat to get his attention and said, "I'll go ahead and order for us both. What kind of muffin would you like?"

He looked at me expressionless and replied, "I'm fine. Don't worry about me, Miss Swan."

I rolled my eyes and asked, "Aren't you planning on joining me?"

He answered back, "Sorry, ma'am, but I have a job to do."

I didn't bother responding. I simply took my place in line and got my coffee and banana nut muffin. I sat down at a small table in the corner by myself, feeling a little uncomfortable with the watchdog standing at the door. I couldn't help but look around to see if anyone else found his presence strange. It appeared that no one did, so I took my time breaking off small bites of my breakfast and poking them into my mouth.

When I was too bored to sit still any longer, I brushed the crumbs off the table and tossed the uneaten half of my muffin in the trash. I breezed out the door, sipping on my coffee and trying to ignore Peter as he followed behind me.

"This is ridiculous," I thought to myself as I waited for his black sedan to pause, letting me slip into the flow of traffic in front of him. The commute to work was short. I found a parking spot relatively close to the building and watched as Peter parked a few spaces behind me.

I could feel his presence looming several yards back as I walked the path towards the building. It aggravated me that I had been so oblivious when I was actually being stalked by a crazy person but was finding it impossible to ignore feeling weighted down under the careful watch of my protector. My nerves were slowly starting to unravel.

Halfway up the sidewalk I turned around and fussed, "You're kidding me, right? Don't tell me that you're planning on following me to my desk to stand there and watch me work all day."

Peter kept up his pace, approaching me as he answered, "I've already familiarized myself with the buildings entry and exit points. My job is to make sure you aren't walking into a dangerous situation. Once I've cleared the room, I won't need to stand guard over your shoulder. I'll wait for you outside the entrance to your department."

When he reached my side he gently pressed his hand against my back to prompt me to continue walking. To the average outsider we probably looked like good friends casually chatting on their way into work.

"Relax. This sort of arrangement isn't as uncommon as you may think. I doubt anyone other than you even glances twice in my direction," he stated as we stepped through the doors. I slid my work badge through the scanner and crossed through the employee entrance. Peter pulled out a security card and scanned it, following behind me. I didn't even ask any questions, realizing that Edward's security team was a bit more advanced than I had assumed.

Peter was right. Nobody really noticed him at all. I left him to do his job and went to my desk to do mine. I checked through my work emails and looked over the assignments list for the upcoming week. I only had two jobs scheduled, which meant I would be on call to cover breaking news the rest of the week. I hated that part of the job. Breaking news almost always meant bad news. I missed the days when I got paid for enjoying the city's entertainment venues. At least then I had more of a creative license when writing my articles. Reporting the facts just wasn't as fulfilling.

I made a few phone calls to schedule interviews for my two planned assignments and then decided to call Alice to check in.

"Any news yet, Bella?" she asked in greeting.

"No, not yet. Edward's P.I. is tracking Tanya down today so maybe we'll hear something soon. Are you working today?"

"No. Jasper and I both took the day off. I barely slept at all last night. I was so worried about everything, especially how you're holding up. How are you, by the way?"

I let out a deep breath and thought of how to answer her. "I don't really know. I think I'm still in shock. Everything happened so fast; I haven't had time to process it all. I have a new friend to hang out with now though. You should stop by and meet Peter, my bodyguard, sometime soon. He's loads of fun!" my sarcastic tone spiked with the last sentiment.

"Bella, I know it probably sucks having someone follow you around, but I have to agree with Edward on this one. You need somebody watching your back right now. Who knows what kind of freak we're dealing with here or what they intend to do about that threat," she chastised.

"I know, I know. I'm trying my best to deal with all this. It's just hard feeling like you don't have control over your own life anymore. Are you planning on staying with Jasper until this is all settled?" I answered.

"Uh…Bella, we wanted to talk to you about that. I know this wasn't really the way you were planning on moving in with Edward, but you were already headed in that direction. Right? I mean, if you think this is a permanent move for you…well, Jasper and I were discussing the idea of me moving in with him…permanently as well."

I don't know why I was so shocked, but I was almost speechless. "Oh…I see," I managed to say.

"Bella! If you're still not sure about living with Edward we can discuss other options. It's just…after seeing those pictures and knowing that some crazy person has been lurking around the apartment…Well, I just don't really feel like going back to that place. Maybe I'm being ridiculous. I probably am, but we could look for another apartment together if you want. Or just move everything into a storage unit until you know what you want to do," she rambled nervously.

"No, Alice. I understand. I don't like the idea of either of us moving back into that apartment any more than you do, and I had basically already decided to move in with Edward. I think it's a great idea for you and Jasper to settle into his place now. When did you want to clear out the apartment?"

"Bella…if you're sure. Honestly, we're not in that big of a hurry…"

I interrupted her to ease her worries, "Edward was already planning on sending a moving crew over to get the rest of my things tomorrow. I'm not sure what the exact plans were, but if you want to meet us there we can decide what to do with everything together. Actually, you can pretty much take whatever you want. Edward's place is already set up with everything so I'm not going to be taking much."

"Okay. I'll talk to Jasper and have him coordinate things with Edward. I'll see you tomorrow then?" she asked.

"Yep. I've gotta get back to work. I'll see you then."

As soon as I got off the phone with Alice, I suddenly felt claustrophobic in my open cubicle. I couldn't concentrate with all the busy noise in the room, so I went to my boss' desk and grabbed the first lead that came through the newsfeed. I needed a distraction and rushed out of the office before I even read what it was about.

In hindsight I should have checked the assignment before I agreed to cover the story because a few minutes later I was interviewing the owner of a local family restaurant while the police were securing the crime scene. The restaurant had been broken into and vandalized right before they were arriving to open up for the lunch crowd. The police suspected it was gang related activity.

The front windows were busted, and the inside was trashed. Messages of hate were spray painted across the walls. My nerves weren't ready to tackle something like this so soon after my own drama. I almost turned around to run away, not caring about abandoning the story, when I heard someone call my name.

"Miss Swan? I'm surprised to be running into you again so soon," one of the officer's called out. I recognized him as one of the ones who had taken my statement the night before. "Officer Crowley," he introduced himself again, extending his hand to shake mine.

"Right. I uh…I remember. It's good to see you again. Well, not under these circumstances, but I guess that comes with the job," I answered.

"Unfortunately, it does. I am glad to see that your boyfriend considers your safety a top priority though," he said looking over my shoulder and nodding to Peter. "It's good to see you, Peter. Keep this young lady safe."

"Absolutely," Peter replied with a nod of his own.

"He's one of the best," the officer assured me before glancing down at the digital recorder in my hand. "So, I take it you're with the press?"

"New York Times," I answered, tugging at my work badge for him to notice.

Officer Crowley gave me a few more minutes of his time to answer some questions, and Peter dutifully followed me back to work so I could draft the write up and submit it before I went home for the day.

I really wanted to stop at the grocery store on my way home. I was in the mood for some comfort food and I hadn't really taken inventory of Edward's pantry yet. I caught sight of Peter in my rearview mirror and changed my mind. Having no desire for a _James Bond _style trip to the grocery store, I took a right and headed straight home.

Of course, Peter followed me up and completed a thorough sweep of the apartment before proclaiming it 'all clear'. I invited him to have a seat and stay for dinner, but he declined by saying, "No thank you, Miss Swan. I'll be right outside in case you need me." I chuckled and shook my head as he posted himself outside the door.

Just as I was pulling a baked mac and cheese dish out of the oven, Edward and Bethy walked in. A tornado of a little girl practically tackled me off my feet with a hug.

"Izzybelwa! You're home!" she delighted.

"Yep! Home for the day. How was school?" I replied.

"Soooo good! We had grilled cheeses for lunch and we gots a new pwayground guard too. His name is Seth and he's really nice! We talked to each other bunches at recess today. And we got new reading pages to write down all the books we read. Whoever gets the most books read to them wins a big prize! Will you help me win, Izzybelwa?" she exclaimed in all her excited glory.

I giggled, happy that she had such a good day. Of course she would get the chatty guard dog while I was paired with 'Mr. I have a job to do'. I scooped her up for a hug and told her, "Of course I'll help you win. We'll read so many books your Dad will have to buy out the bookstore."

"Yay!" she cheered.

Edward smiled, looking a little tired but still happy, and joined our little hug fest. For that brief moment in time, when he wrapped me in his warmth, all was right in the world.

"Hungry?" I asked them both.

"Starving," Edward replied while Bethy agreed. Together, they set the table and poured the drinks while I topped the ribs with an extra coat of BBQ sauce and stuck them under the broiler for a few minutes so they would be extra sticky the way I liked them.

Dinner was nice, even though Edward and I danced around the topics we couldn't discuss for Bethy's sake. Bethy loved the BBQ ribs and ate like a little pig. She ended up as messy as one too. There was sauce in her eyebrows and hair. And even a little bit in her ear.

"Come on, my little sticky mess. Time for a bath," Edward teased, picking her up and holding her away from his body pretending to be grossed out by her condition. She giggled and managed to smear sauce on his cheek with her sticky fingers.

I laughed at the playful pair and started cleaning up the table. By the time I finished loading the dishwasher and wiping down the counter, Edward strolled back in and announced, "There's a little girl tucked in and waiting for story time. Apparently I'm illiterate now and Izzybelwa knows how to read and write better than everyone else according to my daughter."

Flattered but sympathetic, I replied, "Aww, I didn't mean to steal your thunder, Dad. Wanna do it together?"

He smiled and said, "No. I'm glad you two connected the way you have. I need to make a few phone calls anyway. You go ahead; she's waiting in her bed for you."

I kissed him on the cheek and left to find Jellybean sitting in the middle of her bed with small stacks of books on both sides of her. I laughed and said, "I don't think we'll have time to read all those in one night. Maybe…pick out two of your favorites and we'll start with that."

I settled in beside her and we propped ourselves against the pillow lined headboard. I was a little surprised that her first choice was Dr. Seuss' _Green Eggs and Ham_, but it was one of those stories you could almost recite by heart. Halfway through _The City Mouse and The Country Mouse_ she started yawning and rubbing her eyes. We managed to finish it before she fell asleep. I gathered up the books on her bed and tucked her in for the night.

"Don't forget to write them down, Izzybelwa. They don't count if you don't write them down," she told me in a sleepy voice.

"I'll go do it right now," I promised. "Goodnight, Jellybean. Sleep well."

We exchanged kisses and 'I love yous' before I joined Edward on the couch.

"Is she sleeping?" he asked, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me closer.

"She will be soon," I responded. "I missed you today."

"I thought about you all day. How did it go with Peter today?" he asked.

"It was okay. It's gonna take a little bit of getting use to, but I'll adjust. Next time I think it will be easier if we ride together. I still want to drive so I don't have to give him directions all day, but maybe he could ride with me."

"That sounds like a good idea. I'll let him know," he agreed.

"Could you do me another favor when you talk to him?" I hesitantly asked. Edward waited for me to continue, so I did. "Can you tell him to call me Bella instead of Miss Swan. I already told him, but he didn't listen to me. Since you're his boss, I guess, he'll probably listen to you."

"I'm sure he was just trying to stay professional. Peter's a good guy. You know I wouldn't put your safety in the hands of anyone that didn't take that job seriously."

"I know. It's just…if he's going to be spending his days protecting me, it should be a little personal. Know what I mean? I want him to at least like me," I rationalized.

Edward gave me that crooked smile and said, "I don't want him to like you too much, baby. You're a pretty easy girl to fall in love with, Miss Swan."

I laughed at his corniness, but then begged him to be serious. He finally relented, saying, "Okay, fine. I'll tell him to like you and order him to call you Bella."

"Fine," I answered before remembering something else I forgot to say. "Oh, I also wanted to stop at the grocery store to pick up a few things today, but it felt like too much trouble. Maybe we can go tomorrow," I suggested.

"No need. Just make a list of whatever you want and I'll add it to mine before I email it to Maggie. She stocks the kitchen when she comes to clean."

"Wait…you don't do your own grocery shopping?" I asked, wondering why I didn't know that already.

"No, never. It's just easier to have her pick up everything I need before she comes over. I have a spending account set up for her to use, and she gets paid for any extra errands she runs for me," he explained.

"Oh," I brilliantly responded. Mentally, I was trying to decide how this system would work for me. I've never been much of a plan ahead type girl, especially where meals are concerned. When the mood hits me for a certain food, I stop at the store and get what I need just for that meal. I guess it wouldn't be that different if you always had plenty of whatever you needed already at home. Kind of like your own little grocery store.

Edward recognized the look on my face and chuckled. "You're over thinking it. It really is more convenient, you'll see. Come on, you look like you could use a bath too." He rubbed a spot of dried sauce on my chin and pulled me off the couch to lead me to the bathroom. We decided to take a quick shower together and get into bed.

"I love you, Bella," he declared, our naked bodies pressed together under the sheets.

"I know. I love you too," I promised in return. My arm swept across his chest while his fingers glided up and down my arm as we lay on our sides facing one another.

One soft kiss turned into five softer ones. Our eyes met through the illuminating glow of the alarm clock. There was concern and reverence reflected back at me in a pool of deep green. His body moved to cover mine completely. His lips brushed across my jaw line, and sweet words were breathed into my ear.

"You're my entire world, love. You're everything," he professed.

"You're everything I've always wanted," I admitted back.

His knee parted my legs, cradling us closer together. My fingers brushed through his hair. His eyes closed as he took a deep breath and let it out. The hot air flushed across my face, and I closed my eyes in time to feel the gentle touch of his lips to my eyelids.

"I need you," he whispered.

"I'm yours, Edward."

My right leg wrapped around his left, and he hitched my other leg over his hip. So slowly he pushed into me, joining us together. I pressed kiss after longing kiss to his neck and shoulder while gently holding onto his back.

"Love me like I love you. Deeply. Irrevocably. For always," I implored.

His hands moved over every part of my skin, tenderly claiming my soul. "I'll love you more. Passionately. Perfectly. Beyond forever," he proclaimed.

Our lips met again in unspoken vows and promises. Hot, deep, and devastatingly slow strokes moved into me. Edward nuzzled his face against my neck, muffled words begging me, "Try to stay safe, Bella. Promise me you won't do anything reckless."

"I promise."

At a slow and steady pace, our bodies continually pushed and pulled into each other. My body molded around his as he buried himself into me over and over again. My eyes memorized every freckle, mole, and crease on his face while my hands cemented the knowledge of every ripple, curve, and muscle in his body.

"I honestly don't know how to live without you," he declared.

"You won't have to," I assured him.

We were so connected…so consumed by our complete and pure love for each other, our minds barely registered what our bodies were calling us towards. One giant wave of warmth flashed over me. I felt like I was floating into outer space, tethered to the earth only by the invisible strings that held me to Edward. Every cell in my body tingled with the feeling of his weight pressing me into the mattress. His entire body completely relaxed as I felt his hot liquid spill into me.

No more words were spoken. None were needed. No words or measure of time could define what we had. He was mine, and I was his. Those were the honest facts. We fell asleep still intimately connected and woke up the next morning for a repeat performance.

When we were getting ready to leave, Edward pulled out his phone and pressed a button. Whoever he called only received a two word conversation.

"Ten minutes," he said, then hung up.

There was no guard at the door when we left. I didn't see security following us, but they must have been there because Edward did the same glancing and pausing before driving off as I did yesterday. When we got to Carlisle and Esme's house there were two guards at the end of their driveway. Edward stopped and rolled his window down, greeting one of them with a nod before we drove through.

"Why does Nana and PopPop have a playground guard, Daddy?" Bethy asked, eyeing the guard as we drove past.

"You know how Daddy and PopPop do important work at the office, right? You've seen the guards there. Sometimes we work at home too, and the guards have to come home with us," he cleverly explained.

"They make sure nobody bothers you while you're working?" she asked with her eyes squinted together.

"Something like that," he replied.

Edward and Carlisle spent a few minutes talking in his study before we left Bethy and her backpack full of books with them for the day. On the way out I asked Edward why there were two guards there.

He laughed and said, "You know my dad. He bought Mom an armored car after her accident. Do you really think he cares any less about her safety than I do yours? Whenever Mom leaves, one of them follow behind her."

I nodded and stared out the window, watching the scenery change as we drove from the fancy neighborhood closer to the city. Edward rubbed his thumb soothingly over my skin while we held hands across the console. As we approached my old apartment I think we both got a little nervous.

Our hands clenched tighter together, and Edward said, "Don't worry. I've got security covering the place. We'll be safe while we're here."

I noticed Alice and Jasper waiting for us in her car, along with two trucks from a moving company. As soon as we parked, I ran over to greet them. Alice saw me coming and jumped out of her car to give me a hug.

"Are you still doing okay?" she asked, her arms locked around me like a vice grip.

"I'm good. Are you ready for this?" I asked.

She released me and bounced once, saying "Yep! We're both extremely lucky to have found such great men to share our lives with. I'm actually really excited."

Two men with earpieces joined Edward and Jasper on the other side of the car. Alice and I followed them to our apartment door while Jasper unlocked it to let them in. After they were satisfied the place was safe, they let us go inside before they left.

The happy mix of Alice's style and mine surrounded me when I walked through the door. I immediately became emotional over realizing it was the last time I would be greeted by that sight. My best friend and I had been living together since our first dorm room in college. All the new changes were an end of an era. It hit me hard.

I looked at Alice, who also had tears swimming in her eyes. She gave me a sad smile and said, "We're both lucky, remember? Don't think of it as an end, but a different beginning." I acknowledged her with a sad smile of my own and turned to watch Edward answer a knock at the door.

He let two moving men enter with stacks of flattened moving boxes in their arms. They sat the stacks down in the middle of the floor and handed us two fat markers and a few post-it pads to label the unboxed items. "Take as much time as you need to sort through everything. We'll be back in about an hour to start loading the larger items," one of the men informed us.

We decided to label everything with an A for Alice and a B for me so the movers knew which items to deliver to each place. Anything that was going to be donated got labeled with an X.

Alice stuck a post-it on the dining table we were standing next to and suggested, "Maybe we should start by labeling all the big furniture pieces first." I agreed and started following Alice around the apartment.

The dining set got a big X on it since Edward and Jasper both had better ones at their places. Neither of us needed the washer and dryer either, so that also got marked with an X. Jasper had really gotten attached to our overstuffed couch and preferred it to his own. Since Edward's place was already perfectly furnished, I let them stamp everything in the living room with an A. Next, Alice went in her room to mark all her furniture and Edward followed me into mine with a few boxes.

"I guess I don't really need any of the furniture, so we can just start loading everything else into boxes," I stated.

Edward spoke up and said, "Well, I thought it would be nice to have an extra bedroom set up in case we had company that wanted to spend the night. I already promised Emmett he could have all my gym equipment so we have an empty room if you wanted to bring everything."

A little shocked by the news, I said, "What? Edward, you don't have to get rid of your things to make room for mine. Your place is already set up just fine. You really don't have to do that."

"Why not? It's not just my apartment anymore. It's ours. Your stuff belongs there just as much as mine does. Besides, Emmett's probably already over there clearing out the room. We can always use the gym in the building if we want to work out," he answered, already placing B stickers on my stuff.

It didn't take long to toss everything else into boxes. By the time Alice met me in the kitchen, the movers had returned and started loading things into the trucks.

We were dividing the kitchen supplies into appropriate boxes when we both reached for the handmade bowl and vase on the bar. We giggled together, and Alice pressed the piece she was holding into my free hand.

"You take them both. I don't want to see them split up. Besides, Edward's apartment needs a little Alice and Bella décor," she said.

I laughed, already picturing how out of place they would look on his counter, but eagerly accepted them to hold on to a piece of my treasured past. "You can come visit them whenever you like," I teased.

When the kitchen was done, we moved into the living room to sort through our DVDs and music collection. Once the final items were placed in a box, Alice hugged me tightly and declared, "This changes nothing. Monday morning breakfast…your place or mine?"

"We'll probably both be still getting settled in. How about we make the first one at our favorite café? Then we'll go back to alternating turns," I answered.

"Sounds good. After we get the house set up Jasper and I want to have everyone over for a get together. Call me if you find out anything about Tanya before Monday."

We all left before the movers were finished loading up and headed to our respective homes to wait for the trucks to show up. Edward and I picked Bethy up on the way and grabbed some take-out for dinner.

Later that evening, my bedroom furniture was set up in Edward's old exercise room, along with boxes labeled with giant B's. I wasn't in a hurry to unpack anything, so other than my clothes and personal accessories, I left the stack of boxes cluttering up the spare room until I decided what to do with it all later.

We were getting ready for bed when Edward announced that Garrett had returned from California and was stopping by to report what he had learned. I could tell Edward was nervous by the way he kept stalking around the apartment and checking his watch a thousand times. I knew he was anxious to get to the bottom of the threat, but there was also a hint of vulnerability in his eyes.

"Are you worried about hearing about Tanya?" I carefully asked.

He stopped pacing and said, "No. It's uncomfortable revisiting memories of something or someone you've worked hard to erase from your life. If there was one thing I wish I could've changed in my past…but then…"

"You wouldn't have Bethy," I finished his thought.

He looked at me with sad eyes and said, "Right. I could never regret having her. I just wish Tanya wasn't part of that. You and I promised we would forget she existed, but now….something in my past or something I've done has put you in danger. If she's behind all this…Bella, I promise she won't get anywhere near you. It's my job to protect you."

I shook my head and gave him a much needed hug. "It's my job to protect you too. From the memories of your past and from all the self depreciation you're going through. This isn't your fault. You treated Tanya so much better than she deserved. She never should have hurt you like she did. You're a good man, Edward Cullen."

Our kiss was interrupted by a knock at the door. Edward let Garrett in, and we all took a seat in the living room.

"So, what's the news?" Edward asked.

"I don't know if this is good or bad news, but in my professional opinion, it isn't Tanya. I checked up on her and talked to a few of her coworkers. She hasn't left Los Angeles since she returned just after Christmas. She turned down the job offer to relocate here and accepted a permanent position heading up one of her companies divisions in L.A. She lives alone. No boyfriend. Works about twelve hours a day and is doing quite well for herself. I actually ended up talking to her and she seems pretty content with her life."

I bit my lip and watched Edward furrow his brows before Garrett spoke up again. "Of course, she didn't know who I was, and I obviously didn't mention your name, but I learned enough to know that she's not the one we should be worried about."

"But, if she's not responsible for the note…who the hell is it?" Edward asked, more confused than before.

"I'm not saying that it's impossible for her to be behind it. She could have someone else doing her dirty work, but I honestly doubt it. There was nothing the least bit suspicious in California. I think you and Bella both need to think a little harder. Don't look for the obvious. Try to recall everyone you've come in contact with since you two have been together. Whoever it is obviously knows enough to go after Bella to get to you, Edward. Is there any other women that might want Bella out of the picture?"

Edward started fidgeting beside me and cleared his throat to say, "I haven't been with anyone else since before…um, before Bella and I got together. And that list only consists of one night stands. None of them meant anything more than that."

"Even so, whoever sent those picture and that note isn't thinking rationally. You have to consider anyone at this point. I'd advise you to come up with a list of names and Bella as well."

"What?" I choked out, "It's been years…I mean, I've gone on a couple dates, but nothing progressed into any kind of relationship. The last person I went out with was Jake, but it's not him. We're all friends now. He wouldn't…"

"I don't think it's anyone Bella knows," Edward interrupted.

"Maybe not, but like I said…you need to consider every possibility. A jealous ex that's recently resurfaced, maybe," Garrett suggested.

I could see the realization hit Edward and I at the same time. "Mike Newton," I barely voiced.

Edward nodded and explained, "He's Bella's ex-boyfriend. We ran into him at the charity ball. There was a small altercation. I may have broken his nose."

Garrett's eyes popped open and he exclaimed, "And you didn't think of mentioning this before now? You had a physical run in with someone from Bella's past and didn't think it was important? You embarrassed him, assaulted him, and in his mind, took his girl."

Edward jumped off the couch, fists clutched tight, and shouted, "If he has anything to do with this, he's going to have more than a broken nose!"

"Calm down," Garrett commanded as he stood from his seat. "I'll check it out. In the meantime, try to come up with a list of possible suspects. It may take some time, but we'll get to the bottom of this."

I stood up too and said, "I'll be right back." I grabbed a folder out of my briefcase and handed it to Garrett. "You might want to look into Edward's new secretary a little more too. I know the police cleared her as a suspect, but I still don't trust her."

Garrett took the folder and started flipping through the pages while Edward looked at me in shock.

"Where did you get all this?" Garrett asked, handing the folder off to Edward's waiting hand.

I chuckled and said, "Cop's daughter, remember? I had my dad run a background check on her before all this happened. I know she's interested in Edward. I overheard a conversation between her and someone else in the bathroom on new year's eve. Even if she's not the source behind the note, I think she's up to something."

Garrett agreed that it was worth investigating while Edward read through the papers. "Why didn't you say anything to me?" he asked.

"At first, I wanted to make sure I wasn't just being a jealous girlfriend. After I got the file from my dad, I planned on telling you, but all this other shit happened a couple days later. I forgot all about it until now."

Edward accepted my explanation and agreed that we should keep an eye on Gianna. He wanted to transfer her to another department, but Garrett suggested it would be wiser to keep her close at hand.

After Garrett left, the atmosphere remained tense. I tried to ease the tight muscles in Edward's back, but he couldn't sit still long enough to enjoy a massage. I was stressed out too, but I tried to pretend I was fine.

Edward let out a dry chuckle and said, "After all these years, I picked a fine day to get rid of my home gym. I really need to work off some of this stress. I'll be back in a little while." He went to the bedroom to change into his workout clothes and left.

I had no where to go since Bethy was asleep in her room, so I picked up a thick book and settled into the couch. After more than an hour of reading, I fell asleep waiting for Edward to return. I barely remember being carried to bed sometime later.

Sunday was spent at the Cullen's house. Everyone tried to ignore the situation at hand and enjoy the temporary break from reality. Esme and I helped Rosalie get started on her wedding plans, and the guys played a few board games with Bethy.

On Monday morning I was up before Edward and got ready to meet Alice for breakfast before heading to work. "I guess it's you and me again today, Pete. Another day another dollar," I sang on my way into the elevator. "Are you riding with me today?"

"That's the plan, Bella," he answered, gracing me with a hundred watt smile.

"Thanks," I added with a smile of my own, happy that Edward remembered to talk to Peter for me.


	34. Ch34 Fight and Make Up

**Hello again, everyone! I'd like to thank all of you who are reading and reviewing my story. I'm so glad to hear that someone is enjoying my work. I also wanted to let everyone know that this is a really long chapter with a lot of ups and downs. There might also be some parts that you don't like or agree with, but try to imagine the stress these two are going through. So, get comfortable, sit back, and enjoy the ride with me! **

Chapter 34

BPOV

Having Peter ride with me was a lot easier than having him follow me in his own car. Plus, it felt more like hanging out with a friend than being watched by a guard dog. He still wasn't as chatty as Bethy's playground cop, but I got more than one word answers when I initiated a conversation.

When we arrived at the café, Peter escorted me through the door. Alice was already waiting for me at our usual table. We invited Peter to join us, but he declined, posting himself at an outside table near the door instead. I felt responsible for him baring the cold on my account, so I had our waitress deliver a hot cup of coffee and breakfast sandwich to him. He smiled and tipped his coffee toward me in a gesture of thanks.

"Looks like you're getting along better with the bodyguard," Alice commented.

"Yeah. He's toned down the formalities a bit since Edward had a talk with him," I explained. "I don't know how long I'll be stuck with personal security since there doesn't seem to be any real leads in the case. Garrett ruled Tanya out as a suspect this weekend. I think Mike and Gianna have been added to the list now though."

"What the hell? Your ex, Mike Newton?" she exclaimed. "He's definitely a slime bag, but I don't think he has the balls to seriously threaten someone, especially someone rich and influential like Edward."

"You're probably right, but at this point, who knows? Let's not talk about all this crap right now. Right now I want to enjoy breakfast with my best friend. How's the moving coming along? Have you guys got everything settled in?"

Her eyes lit up as she excitedly bounced in her seat before answering, "Jasper's place is really starting to look good. I know you haven't seen it before, but it looks so much nicer now. Our things really mixed well together. There are a few things we decided to get rid of after we started rearranging, and we're going shopping later this week to pick up what we need to complete the makeover. I can't wait until we have everyone over!"

Although I had to admit that I was hugely envious of their easy transition into a life together, I was genuinely happy for Alice. "That's sounds great, Ali. I'm so happy this was a positive step for both of you. I bet Jasper was more than happy to let you take over his house," I teased.

Her smile turned into a slight frown. "What about you? Aren't you happy, Bella? I'm sure Edward would love to redecorate with you. I heard he gave Emmett all his gym equipment to have more room when you moved in," she commented.

"Yeah, he did. Now the room is filled with all my junk in boxes. You can barely see my old bedroom set through all the mess. I guess we'll get around to turning it into a spare guestroom sooner or later, but the rest of the house is fine the way it is. There really isn't anything I would want to change."

Alice accepted my answer and the conversation changed to talk about Rosalie's wedding plans. It had been decided yesterday that the three of us, along with Esme and Bethy, would meet to look at dresses on Friday.

When we finished our meal, we both headed off to work. Peter tagged along with me on my assignments all day. By the time I got home I realized that I had forgotten to leave a list of grocery items for Maggie to pick up. Obviously, Edward had not forgotten because the pantry and refrigerator were packed full of things that weren't there when I left for work.

Searching through all the basic staples and healthy snacks, I noticed that there wasn't any junk food, aside from a couple packs of cookies. I laid out some chicken to cook for dinner and grabbed my purse to head back out.

"Hey, Peter. You up for another ride? I need a few things from the grocery store," I said, locking the apartment door behind me. Of course he agreed, not that he had any choice in the matter.

Peter and I roamed the grocery store side by side. I stocked my shopping cart with every unhealthy snack I could find, just in case I never remembered to add my list to Edward's for Maggie's shopping days. I knew I was going a little overboard, but junk food helps me fight stress. And lately I had a lot of stress.

That evening when Edward came home, he offered to help cook dinner. When he opened the pantry to discover my stash, I was somewhat embarrassed. Well, I was embarrassed until he scolded me like his second daughter. Then I was just pissed.

"Bella? Did you ask Maggie to buy all this junk food?" he asked.

"No. I forgot to give you my list to give to her, so Pete and I went to the store after work," I answered.

"I see. It's a little excessive, don't you think? There's no way you'd be able to eat all of this before Maggie does the shopping again. Actually, there's no way you _should_ eat all of this in a month's time. What were you thinking?" he complained.

"I was thinking that I wanted some snacks, and I didn't know when I would get the chance to go to the store again. So I grabbed everything I _might_ want in case I forgot to place my order next time," I answered in an annoyed tone.

"Fine, but I'm at least going to move this stuff to the back of the cabinet so Bethy doesn't see it. I don't want her picking up unhealthy habits," he huffed.

I glared at him, but agreed. I didn't really think about Bethy raiding the cabinet when I purchased the stockpile of junk food, but it's not like I was planning on corrupting her eating habits. And even though I felt like I had been chastised by my dad, I had to admit that Edward was probably right about hiding them out of sight.

After dinner, I read Bethy two more books before bed while Edward went downstairs to work out in the gym again. When he came back, he was on the phone with Garrett until after I went to bed.

The rest of the week went by much the same way. There was a building tension in the apartment. I was still getting use to living in Edward's apartment and having a full time bodyguard with me everywhere I went. I felt like I never had any time alone to just relax. I still had not unpacked any of the boxes in the spare room, mostly because I didn't know what to do with it all.

Edward complained that I wasn't putting any of my stuff out, somehow offended that the apartment still looked the same as before I moved in. He ended up working late most days and continued to leave the apartment to work out every night. A lot of his time was spent dealing with trying to figure out who was behind the threat. I understood his concern, but wished he would try to relax a little more. I was anxious for things to get back to normal between us.

I never did compile a list of suspects for Garrett, reasoning that the only people on my list would have been Jake and Mike. I didn't even want to know what Edward's list looked like, so I didn't ask.

Garrett managed to procure all of the surveillance footage from the buildings surrounding the Cullen Corporation. Copies of those videos were given to Edward, which he spends hours every night combing through in hopes of catching of the suspect handing the envelope to the kid who delivered it. There was clear video of the kid handing the envelope to the receptionist, but no one knows his identity. Since he is obviously a minor, there are laws in place that protect him from public inquiry, however the police and Edward's investigators are still trying to search him out for questioning.

Friday was the last good day before things got worse. Rosalie and Alice took the day off work for dress shopping. I already had the day off, so I kept Bethy home from school and we all met Esme at the wedding shop Rosalie had chosen. I requested to have Peter follow me instead of riding along that day because I didn't want to confuse Bethy. I was nervous at first, trying to act normal while hiding the fact that we were being guarded. But as the day went on, it became easier to forget that he was there.

We spent hours in the first shop, trying on dress after dress until Esme suggested a visit to the designer shop she usually frequented for special gowns. After an hour of being catered to, from champagne to a personal shopping assistant, we hit the jackpot. We found a line of gowns that were exactly what Rose had envisioned for her wedding. They had delicate, beaded straps that fell just off the shoulders. The bodices were a corset style with intricate beading that matched the straps, and the skirts were long flowing silk, simple and elegant in design.

Since the wedding was planned to take place in the Cullen's back garden in early June, Rose wanted a light material with pastel colors that matched the spring flowers that grew there. We chose a light lavender for me and a pale pink for Alice. Esme also found a lovely dress in moss green that complemented her perfectly. Rose's designer had already started working on her dress and Bethy's flower girl dress as well.

After we had our measurements taken and our dresses ordered, we went to a nice restaurant for lunch together. Bethy was brimming with excitement as Rose showed her pictures of the dresses being designed for them. With all the joyous wedding talk, it was a nice break from the stressful reality I had been dealing with recently.

Rose invited everyone to dinner at her house, and Esme offered to take Bethy home with her for the night so 'us kids' could have some fun. It was a welcome and appreciated offer, so I called Edward and cleared it with him before accepting.

Alice and I went home with Rose and talked about more wedding plans. We looked through pictures of wedding cakes and started an early cocktail hour before the men joined us after work.

"Getting the party started without us?" Emmett cheered as he walked through the front door, followed by Jasper and Edward.

"You know it, babe," Rose answered. "We were hoping you guys would be here soon. The steaks are laid out for grilling, and the sides are already made so we're ready to party."

Emmett laughed and gave her a kiss on his way to start the grill. Jasper pulled Alice into his side and whispered something in her ear that made her blush. She greeted him back, softly nuzzling into his neck. They definitely looked the part of a couple deeply in love. I watched them in their peaceful embrace until two strong arms locked around my waist, breaking me out of my unconscious staring.

"I missed you today," Edward breathed into my neck, followed by several soft kisses. "Did you have a good day?"

"I did," I answered, smiling up at him. "I feel like it's the first time I've really relaxed in forever."

His brow furrowed, and he released my waist to run the back of his hand across my jaw. "I'm sorry. I know things have been…difficult lately. I wish it didn't have to be, but until this is all over…"

I stopped him before he could finish. I didn't want to ruin my good day with talk of _that_. I gave him a reassuring hug and said, "I know. Let's just try to have a good time tonight. We can deal with all that again tomorrow."

He nodded in agreement and gave me a chaste kiss before heading off to help Emmett at the grill.

Dinner was great. Everyone had a good time laughing and joking around. Edward acted almost normal, joining in with the fun but checking his phone every so often when he received a text message. The drinks kept coming, and in my endeavor to erase the worries of the past week, I drank much more than I should have.

My right hand slipped when I tried to reach around Alice's elbow for my intended green target, causing Rosalie's left leg to knock into Alice's knee, sending us all tumbling into a pile of twisted limbs in the middle of the Twister board. I don't know why drunk people think it's a good idea to play games that require agility, but the guys seemed to be having a good time laughing at us.

I realized I was laying face down in a small puddle of drool, alone on the plastic mat, when my body was being scooped up and cradled against a hard chest.

"Come on, baby. I think you've had enough fun for tonight. Let's get you to bed," Edward's soft voice called to me.

I didn't even open my eyes when I felt the soft mattress under me. I felt my clothes being carefully removed and my hair being brushed away from my face. Cool sheets slid up my body, and I drifted off into oblivion.

Sometime in the middle of the night, I woke up with a violent rumbling in my stomach and a heavy, throbbing head. I fell out of bed and half-crawled to the bathroom only to find myself in a closet. An unfamiliar closet. It took a moment for my jumbled mind to realize I wasn't at home. Splotches of scenes from the night before filtered through my memory, and I assumed Edward and I had spent the night at Emmett and Rose's place.

Groaning, I pulled myself off the closet floor and followed a dim light towards the other end of the room, luckily finding the bathroom seconds before purging the poisonous contents of my stomach into the toilet. Chills ran through my body as my legs settled against the cold tiles of the bathroom floor.

"Bella, are you okay?" Edwards soft voice spoke with concern. "Sorry," he added when the harsh light he turned on caused me to wince and cover my eyes with my arm.

I shook my head, unsuccessfully searching for the handle to flush away the nasty evidence. "Edward…no, don't come in here. It's disgusting," I croaked in a hoarse voice, my throat raw and burning.

With another flick of the switch, the room dimmed back to the low glow of the nightlight lit near the sink. Footsteps padded across the floor. An echoing squish of water sounded at the flush of the toilet. Gentle hands gathered my hair together at the base of my neck. A soft kiss was placed on my shoulder. Warm hands rubbed soothing circles on my back while I vomited once again into the bowl. There was another flush. Then the sound of water running in the sink. A cool cloth swept across my face, and a glass of water was brought to my lips.

"Here, baby. Rinse your mouth out and drink some water," Edward instructed. I did as I was told, handing the empty glass to him when I finished.

Edward slipped off his t-shirt and pulled it over my head, maneuvering my arms into the correct holes. My body welcomed the warmth of the exchanged shirt.

"Do you want me to help you back to the bed? I can bring the wastebasket in case you get sick again," my sweet boyfriend offered.

"Don't…wanna…move," I grunted. "You go. I'll be okay."

His long fingers brushed through my hair, followed by a kiss on my head as he stood up. "I'll be right back," he whispered.

I closed my eyes and tried not to think about the room spinning, instantly regretting overdoing it with the alcohol. I hadn't been this sick from drinking since my freshman year in college when Alice dragged me to my first keg party. Somehow, that thought made me feel even worse, reminding me how irresponsible it was to get so intoxicated.

At some point I must have fallen asleep, because the next time my stomach urged me to expel any left over toxins, I found myself snuggled comfortably against Edward's chest. I maneuvered free from the arm that held me to his side and found that I was, luckily, still in the bathroom, the toilet not far from my reach. Unsuccessfully, I tried to throw up again, but my stomach was empty.

I spotted a cup of water at the edge of the sink, along with two pills of Advil. I silently praised my caretaker's advance planning and swallowed the pills down with the entire glass of water. The fuzz in my brain cleared enough for me to take notice of the makeshift bed Edward was sleeping on.

The comforter from the guest bed was folded in half, acting as a soft mattress. The flat sheet and blanket covered him while his head rested on one of the bed pillows. I crawled back next to him and resumed my snuggling position by his side, thankful that he had actually carried all the bedding into the bathroom to stay with me, giving me yet another reason to love him so much.

Maybe an hour later, I woke up to a pair of green eyes staring back at me. "How are you feeling this morning?" he asked with concern.

I noticed my head wasn't pounding like it had been the first time I woke, and my stomach seemed to have calmed down as well. "Better. Much better," I answered. "You really didn't have to do all this," I said, motioning to the bedding on the floor. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to drink so much."

His forehead crinkled when he answered, "Well, I wasn't going to leave you in here alone and sick. I hope you don't feel too bad today. Did you find the Advil I left on the sink for you?"

"I did. I took it a little while ago. It helped a lot. Thanks."

He stretched his arms and started to get up, holding out a hand to help me to my feet too. He picked up the pillow and handed it to me before scooping up the rest and carrying it into the bedroom. I sat on the edge of the bed and watched him fold each piece into a square before stacking them on the floor at the foot of the bed. Then, he retrieved my folded clothes from yesterday off the chair in the corner and helped me get dressed.

When we left the bedroom, the smell of eggs and bacon almost caused me to run back to the bathroom. I suppressed the urge to throw up again and took Edward's hand as we walked into the kitchen to greet Emmett and Rose.

"Morning, sleepyheads!" Emmett's loud voice boomed as he plated the scrambled eggs he was cooking.

I winced and Edward replied, "Keep it down a little. Bella's not feeling too well."

"Sorry," Emmett mouthed, truly looking apologetic.

Rose motioned to the table that was already set for four and said, "Have a seat and grab something to eat. I know the idea of food probably isn't very appealing right now, but a greasy breakfast will help with the nausea…believe it or not."

Edward agreed with her and led me over to one of the chairs before taking a seat himself. Rose and Emmett joined us, and started dishing out food. I slowly ate a piece of toast, some bacon, and a few bites of eggs. That was all my stomach could handle.

While I was helping Rose clear the table, Edward mentioned that the bedding and bathroom needed to be cleaned and offered to do it before we left.

"Don't worry about it," Rose said. "Janelle will take care of it when she comes." I had forgotten that they had a regular housekeeper, but for some reason, it made sense to me. Funny how I thought it was normal for them to employ cleaning help, but I couldn't get use to the idea of having a maid myself.

Edward and I were on our way to pick up Bethy when my work called, asking me to cover a story for another reporter that called in sick. I doubted if I felt much better than whoever it was who called out, but I have a hard time saying no when someone needs my help. That's how I found myself, riding along with Peter, on my way to work.

I actually let him drive my car while I hid from the sun behind dark sunglasses in the passenger seat. For once, I was glad he wasn't the chatty type. I suffered through the day and got the job done. I ended up filling in for the sick reporter on Sunday too.

Monday morning, breakfast with Alice was at my place. She showed up, bright and cheery, just after Edward and Bethy left for the day.

"Bella? Are you sure you even moved in? I don't see any of your things. Well, except for the mess of papers cluttering up the dining room."

I rolled my eyes, but tried to put on a smile when I answered, "Alice, you know I told you there wasn't really anything I wanted to change. Most of my stuff is still boxed up in the spare room. I'll get to it eventually."

She gave me a quizzical look, but let the subject drop.

"So…I know you don't like to talk about it, but…any news on the case?" she asked.

"Not really. Edward said Mike's being tailed. So far…nothing. Apparently, his life was rather boring. He goes to work everyday. Eats lunch at the same diner everyday. Goes to his girlfriend's house after work for a few hours. Then, goes home alone and repeats the process the next day. We don't really think it's him anymore."

Alice nodded her head while she sipped on her coffee. "I didn't think it was him to begin with, but…"

"Yeah, I know…who the hell is it?" I completed her thought.

"Right. Well, I'm sure they'll figure it out soon. Jasper said that Edward's got quite a team working on it. And at least no other threats have happened," she said.

"I guess that's one good thing," I responded, taking a bite of my omelet.

The door opened, and an older lady walked in with several bags of groceries. "Oh, sorry! I didn't know anyone would be home or I would have knocked first. The place is always empty when I show up," she apologized.

"That's fine. You must be Maggie. I'm Bella," I introduced myself. "We'll try to stay out of your way. If you need any help, just let me know."

"No, no. I've got it. You just enjoy your company, Miss." She went straight to the kitchen to unload the groceries.

I remembered the mess I had left in the bathroom earlier and told Alice I would be right back, running to pick up after myself. When I returned, huffing a little, Alice laughed at me.

"You went to clean up before the maid got to it, didn't you?" she accused.

I pointed my finger at her and whispered, "Stop. It's weird having someone else clean up my stuff. I don't want her to think I'm a slob."

Alice laughed again and shook her head. "That's her job, Bella. But I know you, and I wondered how you'd be adjusting to this life."

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "I'll get use to it, I guess."

Alice went to work after we finished eating. I had the day off, so I tried to help Maggie clean the apartment. I don't know if she got frustrated with my help, but it felt like we were racing each other to get the job done. She kept insisting that I let her do it all, and I worried that I was messing up her schedule, so I conceded.

I tried to get some work done, but I couldn't concentrate while someone else was in my home, doing the things that I should be doing for myself. Finally, I decided to immerse myself in the papers that Alice claimed were cluttering up the dining room. They were handouts and excerpts from the _Harry Potter _books for my creative writing students. We were getting ready to begin a segment on fictional fantasy. Since all the students were already familiar with _Harry Potter_, I planned the whole syllabus around the series. I was actually really excited because I knew we were going to have fun with it.

By the time lunchtime rolled around, I had everything for Thursday's meeting ready and organized, despite a few distractions from Maggie as I watched her traveling back and forth to launder the bedding. It took all my willpower to stop myself from taking the sheets from her and doing it myself. Looking on the positive side, at least she wasn't washing my underwear.

As soon as I had the apartment to myself again, I gathered up all the dirty clothes I could find in our bathroom and Bethy's hamper. I spent the next couple hours washing everything, neatly folding it, and putting it away. I think I just needed to feel useful since that was the only thing left to clean.

Later, I read three books with Bethy before Edward and I tucked her in for the night. After she was asleep, Edward and I had our first big fight. It was a stupid fight. We both knew it was a stupid fight, but the tension had been building ever since I moved in. Eventually, we had to explode.

It started with a simple question. "How was your day?" Edward asked.

"Fine. Maggie cleaned the house. She brought your food in too," I answered, feeling a tiny bit irritated for some reason.

Edward furrowed his brows and said, "It's Monday. Of course she did. That's not what I was asking. Didn't Alice come over for breakfast this morning?"

I nodded, but didn't give any details. Without understanding why I was so bothered, I blurted out, "Why do we need a maid anyway?"

"Maggie's been my housekeeper ever since I moved here. She's always done a good job, and it's easier to keep the house up when the detailed cleaning's already done. Why? Did something happen while she was here today?"

"No. She cleaned. That's all."

"And you have a problem with that?" he asked.

"Forget it," I said, waving off the subject and getting up to grab a bag of my stress relieving junk food.

Edward followed me into the kitchen, adding the comment, "Forget what? What's wrong with you? Do you want to be the one to do all the cleaning, Bella? After working all day, do you want to come home and scrub the bathrooms?"

"That's not what I said. I'm just use to cleaning my own house. But she's your housekeeper, and this is…"

"What?" he yelled. "This is my house? That's what you were going to say, isn't it?"

I realized a moment too late that he was right. I had almost said it was his house. "I know I live here too, but it is your apartment. I know you have a certain routine, and I'm not trying to come in and change things," I tried to explain.

He growled and tugged at his hair in frustration. "Don't you get it? I _want_ you to come in and change things. I want it to feel like your home too. I know you didn't really want to move in yet, but I thought…"

"That's not true! I did want to move in. I had already decided I wanted that. I was planning on telling you and talking to Bethy with you right before all this crap happened!" I argued.

Edward scoffed at the comment and shook his head in disbelief. "Really? You wanted to move in?" I nodded, and he continued, "Then, why haven't you?"

"What? What are you talking about?" I asked, confused.

"You're here. You're stuff's here. But you haven't moved in. You're still living like a guest in this house. You haven't unpacked _one thing_! How long are you planning on leaving your things packed up in boxes? Until you decide whether you're staying or not? Until you're sure this is going to last?"

That hurt. Not only did he not believe me about wanting to move in, he was questioning my commitment to him. Maybe that was his plea for me to reassure him. Maybe he was as stressed as I had been, and he was saying things he didn't really mean. Whatever the reason, it hurt me. Tears welled up in my eyes, even though I tried to fight it. I wanted him to apologize. Tell me he believed me. Hold me in his arms and make it all better again. But he didn't. He stood across from me in the kitchen with a look of hurt, and maybe defeat, on his face.

He glanced away from me and bit his lip. "I can't…I'll be downstairs for a little while," he started, turning to walk away.

Anger and hurt tore threw me as I stormed across the room, yelling, "No. You don't get to leave every time you want. You think you're the only one stressed out? Think again! I'll be downstairs in the gym. You can stay here. It's your apartment after all!"

I bolted out the door before he could stop me, taking the elevator to the main floor where the gym was. I wasn't in the mood to work out. I just needed to get away, to get out of the apartment that felt like a prison to me now. I was aware that it was late. I had no bodyguard with me, and it was too dangerous for me to go out alone. Besides, I shouldn't be behind the wheel of a car when I was that angry.

So, I ended up in the gym, crying my eyes out as I practically ran on the treadmill. I ran until my legs felt like jelly and my lungs could barely take in air between sobs. Then I collapsed on one of the mats and curled into a ball, wishing I could erase the entire day.

EPOV

"Fuck!" I internally screamed, pacing the floor while trying to dig my cell phone out of my pocket. As soon as she left, I instantly regretted fighting with her. The look in her eyes when I doubted her, told me I had hurt her. That was the last thing I ever wanted to do.

"Alec! Are you still in front of the building?" I panicked into the phone.

"Yes, sir. Is there a problem?" he answered.

"Bella just left the apartment. She's pretty upset. She doesn't have anybody with her. I don't think she'll try to leave the building, but I need you to keep an eye out for her. If she leaves, follow her and call me," I instructed.

"Yes, sir! Let me know when she returns safely," he responded.

I told him I would call him as soon as she came back. I hung up and called Peter, asking him to come over to check for her in the gym and keep an eye on her until she returned. I directed him to be discreet, assuming she would be pissed if she knew I was having her watched. I knew Bella valued her independence, and I had already been forced to take that away to keep her safe.

Taking a seat on the couch, I nervously tugged at my hair and waited for a call from Peter. I thought about what Bella said. She had already decided to move in before all this crap happened. That thought brought a temporary smile to my face. I knew she was telling me the truth, but she had never told me that before. I wished things had happened differently. That it could have been a happier process. But with everything going on, it was hard to relax and enjoy it.

I thought about all the small changes around the house. Even though Bella hadn't unpacked her things, there was still evidence that she lived here. Most of it, messy evidence. I shook my head when I remembered her complaint about having a housekeeper. Bella wasn't exactly a slob, but she absentmindedly left little messes behind all the time.

There was the clutter of paperwork in the dining room. I offered to buy an extra desk for the study, but she said she liked being able to spread everything out on the large dining table instead. I didn't argue, not really giving a shit about the mess.

I was also the one who picked her clothes off the bathroom floor almost every time she took a shower. More than once I had been stabbed in the side by the sharp edge of a tortilla chip crumb on the couch. That shit hurt! I think one of them even broke the skin once. Plus, the cabinet was packed with more snacks than the local convenience store. Who the hell needed that much junk food anyway?

Not all the changes were bad. Bethy loved having Bella here all the time. I was convinced they were going to win that reading contest at Bethy's school. Every night Bella let her pick out two or three books to read, and they spent their special time together.

It was definitely nice to have a home cooked meal almost every night. I had cooked for Bethy and I plenty of times before Bella moved in, but she was so much better at it than I was. In fact, I actually needed to work out in the gym every night just to keep from getting fat.

Having someone to come home to everyday and go to bed with every night also was a big bonus. I don't even think I could fall asleep without her now. _Fuck! Why did we have to fight tonight?_

The ringing of my phone broke through my thoughts, and I answered it in a hurry.

"I found her in the gym," Peter assured me right away.

"Good. How is she? Did she look okay?" I asked.

There was a short pause before he cautiously answered, "She…um, well…she was on the treadmill when I first saw her. She's not hurt or anything, if that's what you're asking."

"No. I didn't think she was physically hurt, Peter. I'm glad to know that she's not, but that wasn't what I meant."

"Right now she's curled up on one of the mats. She looks pretty sad, sir. She's…uh, crying a lot. She hasn't seen me yet. Do you want me to go in and talk to her?" he said hesitantly.

_Oh, god! _From the sound of his voice, I knew the real life image must be every bit as heartbreaking as the one in my head. She was crying because of me. Because I hurt her with petty words. Because I let her leave without telling her how much she meant to me, how much I loved her. The thought of her like that nearly ripped me apart. I thought about asking Peter to come up and sit with Bethy while I went to Bella. I wasn't sure what the right move was. She was clearly pissed off when she left. Maybe she wanted some time alone. Time away from me.

"Sir? What do you want me to do?" Peter's voice brought me back to the present.

"Just…just keep an eye on her. Make sure she's safe. You can leave once she's back home. Thank you."

In hopes of not feeling utterly helpless, I went to my study to look over more surveillance tapes, praying I would find some clue that would bring the danger to Bella and my family to an end. If we could put all this behind us, I could start making up for the past couple weeks.

I must have fallen asleep viewing the tapes while I waited for Bella to come back. She didn't wake me, and she had already left for work before I woke up. The bed looked slept in, and her dirty clothes were on the bathroom floor where she had taken them off to shower. I picked them up and tossed them in the hamper before getting Bethy up for school.

Feeling horrible for how the night ended, I sent Bella a text.

_**I'm sorry for last night. I love you and I miss you!**_

Seconds later, my phone beeped.

_**I'm sorry too. We're both under a lot of stress right now. I understand. Love you!**_

I was able to concentrate some at work, knowing that at least Bella didn't hate me. During lunch, I called her and left a message telling her not to cook dinner because Bethy and I were going to take her out to her favorite restaurant. I figured it would be a nice break for all of us to get out of the house for an evening.

Bella was ready to go as soon as Bethy and I got home, stating that she starving and looking forward to going out. We had a nice dinner, even ordered desert. Afterwards, we stopped at the bookstore and spent almost an hour browsing the shelves. We each left with a stack of our own books.

The night ended with the three of us piled on Bethy's bed for story time. After she fell asleep, Bella and I slipped off to our own bed.

In the quiet darkness, I pulled her body close to mine and apologized in person for letting last night end the way it did.

"Baby, I'm so sorry for last night. I didn't mean for it to get so out of hand. I never wanted to hurt you," I told her.

"I know," she responded, snuggling into my side. "But you did hurt me, Edward. I meant it when I said I had already decided to move in. You acted like you didn't believe me. That hurt a lot. But more than that…you doubted my commitment to this…to us."

"I believe you, Bella. And I didn't doubt your commitment. I don't know why I said some of those things, but I shouldn't have. Don't for a second think that I could ever doubt you. You mean everything to me, and worrying about your safety has been driving me mad. I want to give you everything, not take away your freedom. We shouldn't have to be going through this. Whoever made that threat should have been caught by now."

"I know. It's put a lot of stress on all of us. Hopefully it will be over soon. But until then, we'll just have to make the best of it. Just know that I am happy to be living together. Sure, the timing could have been better under the circumstances, but I'm happy to be here just the same. I love you," she said, ending her speech with a sleepy yawn.

"I love you too. Get some sleep. Goodnight, sweet angel."

"Sweet dreams, Edward," her sleepy voice replied before we both drifted into dreamland.

Warm kisses decorated my bare chest. Soft hands rubbed across my abdomen before dropping lower and wrapping around my morning wood. Squeeze. Stroke. Pump. Squeeze. Stroke. Pump. Squeeze. Lick. Suck!

My eyes shot open and took in the sight of my beautiful girl waking me up in the most wonderful of ways. Her head was bobbing up and down, the tips of her hair tickling the tops of my thighs while one hand massaged my balls.

I sucked in a sharp breath and clenched my jaw, desperately trying not to blow my load in thirty seconds. It took even more control when she looked up at me with those big brown eyes full of lust.

"Fuck, baby," I panted. "I'm not gonna last long."

She moaned around my cock and took me even deeper. I felt the head of my dick hit the back of her throat, and she swallowed around me.

"Bella!" I moaned loudly, unable to stop my hand from fisting in her hair.

She increased the suction and speed, spiraling me over the edge with three long streams down her throat. She slowly and softly sucked until my body calmed, then gently released me to end it with a sweet kiss on the oversensitive head.

I shuddered and she giggled, "Good morning."

"Better than good," I responded. "Amazing. What did I do to deserve that?"

I just wanted to make you feel good. Relieve some stress. It's been a while since we've been intimate. I've missed you in that way," she admitted.

If I didn't feel bad before, I surely did then. I did realize _that_ part of us had been missing lately. It wasn't that I didn't want her that way. I did. I craved her so badly; sometimes I thought I would go insane. The truth was, my emotions were so volatile since the threat, I was honestly afraid of hurting her by being too rough if I lost control. I always felt love. A deep, overwhelming love that sometimes turned into fear. Fear that I would lose her, that something horrible might happen to her. That led to anger. I was angry at whoever dared disturb our happy peace. One minute my body pulled me to be near her, even if just the same room, to make sure she was safe. Seconds later I wanted to smash something through the wall and scream at the top of my lungs to release some tension. The safest alternative was working out in the gym. I pushed myself until every muscle burned, and I was too exhausted to let my worries get the best of me.

"Baby, come here. I know I've neglected you in that department. I know it sounds stupid, but I was afraid I'd hurt you if my emotions weren't under control. Let me make it up to you," I begged, running the back of my fingers down the arm she had draped across my stomach.

"Edward, you would never hurt me. You love me too much," she teased, a silly smile on her face.

"I do love you, Bella. So much more than I could ever explain," I said sincerely.

"I love you too. You can make it up to me later. I've got an early meeting with my boss. Then I have the day off. I'll be waiting for you when you get home tonight," she said, pushing herself off the bed and walking towards the closet for her clothes.

I fell against the mattress, too relaxed to get up yet. After she dressed, she walked over to my side of the bed and bent to give me a kiss before she left.

"Tonight," I promised.

It was rare that Bella left for work before me. The bed felt too cold to lie there for long. I got up and took a hot shower, checked in with Garrett over the phone, and made breakfast before waking Bethy for school.

I walked into work with a smile on my face, determined to have a good day. "Good morning, Rosalie, Gianna," I greeted.

"Morning, Mr. Cullen," Gianna purred.

"Looks like someone's in a good mood this morning. I take it you and Bella made up?" Rose commented. Gianna's eyes lifted in interest.

_Damn it! Sometimes my brother had a big mouth. _I stupidly asked for advice when I had lunch with him yesterday. It was a mistake to think he wouldn't tell Rose, and a mistake to think he would know how to help because his words of wisdom were, "Apologize, admit you're an asshole, and buy her something expensive."

"There was nothing to make up for. We've both been stressed out lately, but things are still perfect between us," I sort of lied. I definitely planned on doing some heavy making up. Shit, I was even willing to take Emmett's advice if I thought it would work.

"Good to hear," Rose nodded, giving me that 'you know you were an asshole, but Bella forgave you' look.

My morning conferences went smoothly, and the meetings were all productive. Confident that my good day would continue, I optimistically answered my cell when it rang. That's when it all went to hell again, unleashing the overprotective asshole inside.

"Sir, Miss Swan has left the apartment unguarded. She was driving her car. I tried to follow her, but got caught behind traffic at the stoplight. I'm sorry, sir. It does appear that she may be headed your way though. At least she was traveling in that direction," Alec informed me.

"Fuck! What do you mean she's unguarded? Where's Peter?" I yelled into the phone.

"I spoke to him after they returned from her meeting this morning. She told him that she wasn't going to be leaving the house today and ordered him to take the day off. I'm sure he told her to contact him if she changed her mind," he explained.

"This woman is going to give me a heart attack," I complained aloud to no one.

"Sir?"

"Nothing. Thank you for letting me know. Keep an eye on the apartment, and I'll let you know if I need you to do anything else instead," I instructed.

I tried to call Bella, but only got her voice mail. I called Peter, who hadn't heard from her since he left her that morning. And who was also pissed that she went out without him. I stomped to Rose's desk, hoping that she had heard from her.

"No, I haven't heard from her, but I'm sure she's okay. I don't know why she went out without telling someone, but I doubt she would do anything reckless," she commented.

"She went out without a bodyguard, Rose! That's already something reckless," I declared.

"She didn't call here, did she?" I asked Gianna, turning to face her desk.

"No, sir. I haven't taken any calls from Miss Swan at all today," she answered.

I pulled out my phone and tried her cell again, with no luck. I was getting ready to grab my keys from my office and go out looking for her, determined to drag her home and chain her to the bed so she couldn't leave. I was halfway down the hallway when I heard the elevator ding and Bella's voice sound out.

"Hey, Rose! Is Edward in his office?"

Before Rose could answer, I was standing in the reception area with steam coming from my ears. "What the hell is wrong with you, Isabella Marie Swan?" I shouted, completely unable to control my temper.

"What the hell is wrong with _you_, Edward Anthony Cullen?" she shouted back.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" I asked, ignoring her question. "You know better than to leave without Peter. What were you thinking? Never mind. You clearly weren't thinking at all."

"Relax. Nothing happened," she started to argue.

I stopped her before she could make any more excuses. "Anything could have happened. Thank God it didn't! Holy fuck, Bella! Do you think that just because nothing else has happened yet that it's all over? Nothing's changed until we catch whoever it is that's causing the threat."

"Don't fucking curse at me! And stop treating me like a child! It's not like I planned on leaving by myself, but I also don't need a babysitter twenty-four hours a day," she yelled.

I heard Gianna chuckle under her breath, and I was fully aware of the scene we were causing, but I couldn't temper myself as I continued on with my rant.

"Then stop acting like a child! And that 'babysitter' is there for your protection and my peace of mind. If you don't care about yourself, at least have enough respect for me to ensure your safety." I may have been stooping low by using her feelings for me as an incentive for her to comply, but a man's gotta do whatever it takes to keep his girl safe.

"You really should consider Edward's feelings in the matter, Bella. He's been worried sick ever since he heard you were out alone," crazy bitch, Gianna, decided to butt in.

Bella's eyes turned hard as steel before she rounded to attack Gianna. "Fuck you!" she said, much too calmly to be a good sign. "This is none of your business. Anything that happens between Edward and I is no concern of yours. I know what an evil fucking whore you are! And you better stay far away from me and my boyfriend."

"Bella…" I tried to warn, not wanting her say something she might regret.

Gianna stood behind her desk in shock, unsure whether to fire back or not. Bella glanced at me, then back to Gianna.

"You know what? Let's just clear the air with everyone here," Bella announced, taking a step forward and pointing a finger at Gianna. "You didn't list your last job on your resume. Could it have been because you seduced your married boss, then sued him for sexual assault afterward? Yeah, that may have been it," she accused, tapping her chin as if considering the possibilities. "I would have thought a woman with a Princeton education would have been much smarter than that. But then again…that company did pay handsomely to settle out of court and keep the bad publicity from the press."

Gianna looked like a deer caught in headlights. She fumbled for a response, but came up with nothing.

"I feel sorry for the damage you did to someone's marriage and reputation, but aside from that…I don't give a fuck what you do. But if you think that little scam is going to work on Edward…think again, bitch! Even if he didn't love me as much as he does, he would never fall for your cheap tricks."

Tears actually started streaming down Gianna's reddened face. Somehow I think they were tears of anger and not hurt. She looked too guilty to be hurt by Bella's accusations, hinting that she was most likely right.

"Work here as long as you like, but know that one wrong move, and I'll destroy you for fucking with the man I love," Bella ended with an open threat. I was in awe of her fierceness, but slightly afraid of what was coming next when she turned to face me again.

"And you," she indicated by pointing her finger inches from my face. "You want me to prove my respect for you by following your orders? No. I respect you for the wonderful man I know you are. I know things are difficult right now, and you worry about my safety. I've done everything you've asked in regards to keeping myself safe. Do you think it hasn't been hard on me either?"

"I'm sorry. I'm an asshole, and I'll buy you anything you want to make up for it," I blurted out, desperate enough to take Emmett's advice.

Bella laughed and continued, "Peter made sure I was safe at home before I gave him the day off. I wasn't planning on leaving the house, but decided to pay you a surprise visit at the last minute because I missed you. I thought about calling Peter back to ride with me, but I honestly didn't think it was necessary. I left from a secure garage, made the ten minute drive here in the middle of the day, without making any stops, and arrived at a secure parking garage. I wasn't doing anything reckless, but I do apologize if I worried you. That wasn't my intention. But you have to trust me to have some self preservation."

What the hell could I say to that? Bella was right. She had thought it through before deciding it was safe enough. I overreacted and acted like an asshole for the umpteenth time.

"And you," Bella added, pointing at a surprised looking Rose. "You, I love."

Relief and admiration washed across Rose's face as she answered, "Oh, my god, Bella! I love you too, girl!"

There was one thing that needed to be said before I dragged my super hot girlfriend home to fuck her brains out.

"Miss Ricci, I won't even begin to apologize for my girlfriend's outburst here today. I think we both know she was justified in making those accusations, and it's obviously not a good idea for you to keep working for me. I'd be glad to give you a recommendation based on your work performance, but you'll need to clean out your desk and leave within the hour. You will receive the standard two weeks severance pay, which I'm sure I don't have to remind you isn't necessary when you lied on your job application."

Gianna nodded, opening the top drawer of her desk and collection her things. "I'm not going to cause any trouble here. I would appreciate the referral though."

I nodded and took Bella's hand to lead her to the elevator. "Where are we going?" she asked.

Ignoring her, I addressed Rose, "Cancel the rest of my appointments for the day. I'll be at home if you need to reach me."

I stepped into the elevator, pulling Bella in with me. The ride home felt like it took ten hours instead of ten minutes. The air in the car was electrically charged. I pulled into my parking spot and jerked up on the emergency brake before jumping out of the car. Bella hesitantly took my hand when I opened her door to help her out.

"Are you mad at me?" she asked, her voice small and uncertain.

I didn't trust myself to form any kind of reasonable response, so I silently shook my head no.

She followed me through the front door, walking just a few steps behind. I tossed my keys on the foyer table, noticing the pewter picture frame that wasn't there when I left for work this morning. I smiled when I realized it was a picture of Bella and her dad at her college graduation.

I turned around, startling Bella when her body was slammed between mine and the back of the door. I ran my fingers through her hair, roughly gripping it at the base of her neck. My hips ground into hers, prominently showing her how hard I was for her. I devoured her lips with a passion I couldn't calm.

"The next time you leave here, you _will_ have a bodyguard," I growled.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered against my lips.

"Don't apologize. Promise you won't do that again," I demanded.

"I promise."

I grabbed her leg and hitched it around me, continuing to grind into her as I impatiently attacked her neck with small bites and open mouth kisses.

"Edward, take me," she moaned.

I ripped her blouse down the middle, leaving it hanging in shreds while I pulled the cup of her bra down to take her nipple in my mouth. I pulled and stretched it with the suction from my mouth while I pinned her arms against the door.

"Fuck, Edward! So good…I want you," she moaned again, wrapping her other leg around my waist.

I wrapped my arms around her and walked us toward the dining table. I sat her on the edge of it and guided her to lie down, noticing the clutter of papers were gone. From the corner of my eye, I spotted the vase and bowl from her apartment, now adorning the counter of the bar.

Bella's legs tightened around me, pulling my throbbing erection tight against her hot center. I popped the button on her jeans and lowered the zipper, breaking our connection to kiss her tummy and nip at her hipbone as I peeled the denim away. I tore away the barrier of lace underwear and dove in with my tongue, lapping up her wetness. She grunted and rocked against my mouth.

"I…need you…so bad…right now," she whined, grinding her hips and arching her back.

"Come on my tongue first," I ordered, biting her clit for emphasis.

"Argh!" she yelled out. "Please, Edward."

"Give it to me, Bella," I demanded, sucking and licking with abandon.

One loud scream later, and my mouth was filled with her tasty juices. She was writhing on the table, panting incoherent words, when I dropped my pants and slid my underwear down, kicking off my shoes and socks to step out of them. Without warning, I plunged into her, eliciting another scream and more rambled words. I pumped deep into her, pulling almost all the way out and plunging in again.

Bella grabbed hold of the end of my tie and pulled me down, bringing us face to face. "You. Feel. So. Fucking. Good," she panted, matching her words with my thrusts. I shoved my tongue into her mouth, allowing her to suck it and stroke it with her own.

"You taste good," she moaned when our mouths broke free.

"It's you that tastes so good," I told her, lifting her leg and placing her foot against my chest to move even deeper inside her. "You fucking feel amazing too."

"Oh, god! That's so deep," she growled, her eyes glowing with need.

"Feel good, baby? My cock hitting all the right spots?"

"Fucking amazing!" she shouted. "Edward! I'm gonna come!"

"That's the point," I teased, pushing further in and sliding out at an angle that rubbed against her g-spot.

She reached for my shirt, pulling so hard that buttons flew off and pinged across the marble floor. "More," she begged.

I lifted her hips and bounced her up and down on my cock, as I continued to thrust furiously too. "Again, Bella. You came on my tongue; now come on my cock."

I never heard any woman scream as much as Bella did when she came again. All her muscles tightened around me as I continued to bounce her up and down. I felt her walls relax for a few seconds before I hit her special spot with the head of my dick, over and over until she clenched down again, bringing me over the edge with her.

I stilled deep inside her while I loosened and removed my tie, letting my ruined shirt fall to the floor. I helped her back into a sitting position on the table and removed the hanging remnants of her shirt, along with her bra.

It was as if time was frozen in place. Our eyes locked in each other's gaze. Our hands caressed each other's naked bodies. Our erratic breathing and heart rates returning to normal in tandem.

"What the fuck was that?" Bella asked, her question breaking the spell.

"That was you getting thoroughly fucked for that hot little display you put on at the office," I said with a laugh.

"You thought that was hot?" she asked, scrunching up her nose in disbelief. "Or were you trying to punish me for not following orders?"

The expression on her face made me chuckle. "I think that was more of a reward than a punishment, Miss Swan. You were simply too hot to resist. Although I do think a punishment is in order as well. Should we take care of that now or later?"

Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open, but she failed to speak any words.

"Now, then?" I questioned, pulling her off the table and turning her around to bend her over it.

"Wait…Edward?" she left the question hanging in the air.

I gave her a devious smirk and kissed the middle of her back before bringing my hand across her ass with a loud smack. She gasped and tried to squirm out of my hold.

"Oh, that ass is going to turn pink, Miss Swan. Will it be now or later?" I asked in a more dominant tone. She still didn't answer, so I brought my hand down again, with a little more force than the first time.

"Do you know how much you worried me today, Bella? Do you know how important you are to me?" I asked before swatting her on the opposite cheek.

"I know. I'm sorry," she blurted out.

"Are you?" I asked, leaning across her back to whisper in her ear while spreading her legs farther apart, causing her ass to pop up a little more.

"Yes. I really am sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you," she promised.

"And I never want to hurt you," I promised back, taking her chin in my hand to turn her face so I could look in her eyes when I said it.

"Are you still going to spank me?" she asked, looking so innocent with her bright, round eyes.

I gave her a smile to reassure her that I wasn't angry. "Do you want me to stop?"

"I think…no, not really. I mean…it's okay if you want to finish," she mumbled, a soft blush gracing her face.

"Don't be embarrassed, baby. Do you like getting spanked?" I asked sincerely.

"I don't know," she said quietly, trying to turn her head.

"Don't hide from me, Bella. I want to satisfy all of your desires. I don't want to hurt you, but a playful spanking can be a pretty big turn on."

"No one's ever…I've never done that before, but it didn't exactly hurt. It stung a little, but if you liked it…" she admitted.

I chuckled lovingly and kissed her on her nose before standing behind her again. "Okay. We'll go ahead and finish this," I said with a smile, knowing I wasn't going to hurt her, but loving the fact that she trusted me enough to open up and give me something she'd never shared with anyone else.

I took a long look at her perfect apple ass, rubbing and massaging it before we continued. "Baby, you have no idea how sexy you look right now. Your ass is beyond perfect. Are you ready?"

She nodded, and I landed another smack to her left cheek. Her body jerked a little with the shock, but she stayed relaxed. I delivered another swat the right side and paused to see the pink coloring her skin.

"Tell me why you're being punished, Bella."

"Because," she exhaled. "Because I wasn't concerned enough for my safety, and I left without a bodyguard."

"That's right," I replied, delivering a harsher blow with my flattened palm. "You were a bad girl to leave on your own today. What would I do if something happened to you?" I didn't expect her to answer, but she did.

"Your heart would be broken," she said in a shaky voice.

"That's right. My heart would be broken," I confirmed. I glanced at my pants pooled on the floor. The black leather belt was hanging loosely through the loops. I didn't want to hurt Bella, and I was on the verge of stopping and loving her instead. But something about her acknowledging my heart being broken if I lost her, made me upset. How could she know how true that was and so carelessly ignore it? I decided I wanted her to at least feel a little bit like this was a punishment.

I picked up my pants, letting the belt buckle jingle while I slid the leather free from the loops. Bella turned her head at the sound, trying to see what I was doing.

"No peeking. I'm sure you've already deduced that I'm getting my belt. I'll be honest and tell you that it's gonna sting a lot more than my hand did, but I'll never really hurt you. Do you trust me?"

"With my life," she declared.

"That's what I wanted to hear. I've told you before, you are my life, Bella. This might hurt for a minute, but it's nowhere near the hurt I would feel without you."

I delivered a swift blow, catching both her ass cheeks with one swing. She let out a light cry and stilled herself for the next hit. A light red line marked her skin, but I could tell it would fade quickly.

"Are you okay?" I checked.

"Yes," she breathed out.

"Only two more and your punishment's over," I told her. "Breathe, baby."

Another stripe colored her right cheek when the belt connected. The last hit to the other one was the hardest of all, but still only left a light red splotch of evidence.

I dropped the belt and eased her off the table, turning her to face me and embracing her with love. I kissed the top of her head, holding her close in my arms. A few sniffles from her sent me into a panic, pulling back to check that she was okay. There were no tears, just love and tenderness in her eyes.

"I don't ever want you to know how it feels to live without me. I'll be careful, I promise."

"Thank you." I leaned down and kissed her passionately. "The next time you leave home, you _will_ take a bodyguard with you," I ordered, leaving no room for arguing.

"I know," she accepted. "Edward? Make love to me."

"My pleasure," I answered, picking her up and carrying her toward the bedroom, careful not to scrape against her red ass.

I accidentally knocked a picture of Alice and Bella off the wall, not expecting anything to be hanging there. Upon entering the bedroom, I banged my knee into a make-up vanity that wasn't there earlier. I gently placed Bella in the middle of the bed, crawling carefully on top of her.

"I love you," I whispered as I entered her.

"So much, Edward. Fill me with your love," she requested, and I did. For hours, until I realized it was almost time to pick my daughter up from school.

We ate dinner at the breakfast bar because Bella said the table needed to be disinfected before we had a meal there again. I didn't see anything wrong with it, but I didn't complain.

After dinner, I went to my study to review more of the surveillance tapes while Bella and Bethy had their reading time. I had no need to go to the gym, since my tension had been well erased earlier.

About an hour later, Bella came in with a cup of hot chocolate and some cinnamon toast. My girl liked to spoil me. She also may have been trying to get me fat so no other girls would look at me. Whatever the reason, her cinnamon toast was delicious.

After our snack, Bella got up to take the dishes to the kitchen, and I smacked her ass without thinking. She jumped and turned to glare at me.

"Sorry, babe. It is still sore?" I asked.

She smiled and said, "It's not that bad."

"Good. Now tell me the truth…did it turn you on?" I teased, already knowing the answer since she was glistening wet between her legs when she was bent over the table. Well…before the belt, but I'd bet a million dollars a light spanking would take place again soon enough.

"Maybe not with the belt, but your hand…yeah, it turned me on," she admitted with another blush.

I couldn't resist teasing her so I said, "Let me see that beautiful ass again. I don't know which is redder, your cheeks or your 'cheeks'."

"Stop it!" she laughed, shaking her head as she left the room.

I smiled and went back to watching the video just in time to see the bright blue hoodie of the kid who delivered the envelope. I backed up the feed a few frames and froze the screen on the picture of a man with a ponytail handing the envelope over. I clicked enlarge a couple of times. It took me a few minutes of studying his face, but I finally recognized him.

I grabbed my phone and pressed a speed dial button. "Dad! You need to come over right away. I found the guy on the surveillance videos. You know him. It's one of those guys we had arrested in London."

"Damn, Edward. Are you sure?" he asked, concern evident in his tone.

"I'm pretty sure. If not, this guy could be his twin. Just get here as soon as you can. Give Emmett a call too. I know he wasn't with us, but I want him to know who to look out for."

"I'll be there as soon as possible. Did you call Garrett yet?"

"You were my first call. He'll be my second. I'll see you in a few," I said, ending the call.

I called Garrett. He and the rest of the security team were on their way as well. Bella walked in during the end of my call. She looked at the frozen image on the screen and asked, "Who is it, Edward? Do you know him?"

"I'll explain everything when everyone else gets here. I'm sorry, baby. I'm afraid he's a pretty dangerous man. We have to take this threat seriously. No more leaving by yourself."

She consented with a nod, staring at the computer screen with fear in her eyes.


	35. Ch35 A Housewarming

Chapter 35

EPOV

"Baby, I think this is going to be a long night. Why don't you go put some coffee on? Everyone should be here soon," I suggested, breaking Bella out of her stare off with the computer screen. I didn't want her mind tainted with the image of that asshole. Coffee would be nice, not as nice as a good stiff drink, but mainly I was trying to keep her occupied long enough to compose myself before everyone else arrived.

"Okay. I'll make a full pot," she replied robotically, taking one last look at the screen before shaking her head and leaving the room.

"Okay. Calm down, Cullen," I muttered to myself while pacing the floor in my study. "This is actually a good thing…a breakthrough. Finally, a face and a name to go after. A name. What the hell was this guy's name?"

"James Hunter," my father's voice sounded from the doorway, his eyes locked on the computer.

I spun around and gaped at him, shocked that he got here so quickly and without my notice, and relieved that he too recognized the man behind the threats.

"Sorry if I startled you. Bella let me in and told me I'd find you in here. I assume Garrett and his men are on their way?" he said.

I nodded. "They should be here any minute. You sure got here fast."

"It was important. Your mother came along too. She's in the kitchen with Bella," he answered, adding, "I can't believe this shit is happening. That fucking criminal is the one who was stealing from us. And now, he blames _you_ for ruining his life."

"Most criminals find a way to blame someone else instead of dealing with their own conscience. It makes them feel less guilty for their own actions. But plotting revenge for it is taking it a bit too far," Garrett chimed in, the second one to sneak up on me tonight.

"Damn, I must be going deaf. I didn't hear you come in," I greeted Garrett.

"You're mind's just preoccupied, understandably so," he responded. "Everyone else is in the dining room. Ready to join them?"

Bella was sitting next to Mom near one end of the table, both of them sipping coffee. Peter was standing behind and a little to the left of Bella, portraying his typical bodyguard stance. Seth was seated across from Bella with Alec next to him. Dad took a seat at one end of the table while Garrett placed himself between him and Alec. I slid into the chair at the other end of the table, being acknowledged by a gentle squeeze on my thigh from Bella as I placed my laptop in front of me. I lifted her hand to kiss it, whispering 'I love you' against her wrist before letting it go.

"Your brother will be here shortly. I asked him to stop by work and grab some files from my office on his way over," Dad informed me just before a knock sounded at the door.

"I'll get it," Bella offered, starting to get up.

I clasped her arm to stop her and said, "No, let Peter." I nodded to him as he took to the task of letting my brother and Rosalie in.

"How's it going, bro?" Emmett asked with concern. "I got the files you asked for," he said to Dad, holding up three folders.

"Good. Thanks, son," he responded, standing to take the files from Emmett. He gestured toward the empty seat by mom and told Rose to have a seat. She quickly rushed over and sat down. "I'll grab an extra chair from the study," he started to say before Emmett cut him off.

"Don't worry about it, Dad. I'm too keyed up to sit still anyway. Let's have a look at this video, Ed."

I flipped the lid open, and the frozen imaged appeared. Emmett leaned in to take a closer look, mumbling curse words under his breath. I turned the computer towards the others and hit play, showing the footage of James handing the envelope to the kid.

The room was silent while everyone watched, apart from a collective gasp from the women at the table. Peter had resumed his earlier position and watched the video from behind Bella's chair. I could see him studying James' every move intensely, calculating how to take him down. When the scene ended, I watched how he measured Bella's reaction, ready to protect her.

I had already suspected he cared for her more than just as a job from some of the comments he made when briefing me on their day sometimes. I think her silly behavior amused him, breaking him out of his shell a little. I knew his feelings wouldn't cross over into anything inappropriate, but it added to my reassurance that he would risk himself to protect her. I probably would have been jealous if I didn't trust Bella so completely. It was ridiculous for her to think that he didn't like her. She really had no idea how easy she was to fall in love with.

"So, what's the story behind this guy?" Garrett broke the silence.

"He's a calculating and devious thief. Apparently, with a misconstrued plan for revenge," Dad declared. He launched into the background story of the trouble in our London office, ending with the details of the arrest. "I've worked with him in the past when I was overseas on business. I never did like him. There was something about him that always seemed off. When all the evidence of fraud and embezzlement surfaced, I figured that was why. But now I wonder if there was more to it than that. I was usually the one to handle our London business. James had never met Edward before that day. Why would he target him and not me?"

"Probably for that very reason. He knew you. He worked with you before. He was probably so conceited that he convinced himself he had you fooled. Then Edward steps in and brings him down, in his eyes at least," Garrett answered.

Dad nodded and went on, "I see your point. Anyway, I have the files on all three of the ones arrested that day. On the way over here, I contacted the authorities in London and spoke to the detective we worked with on that case. He confirmed that they had escaped from prison and apologized for not thinking to let me know about it. He's sending what information they have to my email. It's probably already there now."

Before I could open my mouth, Bella asked the exact question I was thinking. "Wait…what do you mean _they_? Are you saying that all three of them are out there somewhere? Possibly behind this threat?"

Dad was already making his way to the keyboard to check for the information. "I'm afraid that might be the case," he answered, typing in his password and clicking the new mail icon.

It turned out that all three of them had somehow orchestrated their escape. Laurent however, was ironically killed by an attack from the prison guard dogs during the break out. James and Victoria were still missing. We had video proof that James was here, but Victoria hadn't left any tracks so far.

"I remember that those two were a couple. I think it's safe to assume that if they both made it out, they're probably in this together," Dad suggested.

"Maybe. For now, we have to assume that's true. We need to contact the police with this new information, and I'll bring everyone else on my end up to speed," Garrett decided.

The meeting continued for a couple of hours. It felt much like a company board meeting. Discussing, planning, and organizing a strategy. Bella made a second pot of coffee and excused herself to take a bath while we finished up. Dad called the police and filled them in. Copies of profile sheets with pictures of James and Victoria were printed to be distributed to everyone on the security detail and at the Cullen Corporation. Once everyone was gone, I met Bella in the bedroom. She was fresh out of the shower, and getting ready to crawl into bed.

"Is everyone gone?" she asked.

"They just left," I sighed. "Sorry I couldn't join you in the shower," I added, climbing into bed next to her. She snuggled up to me and yawned.

"Sorry I didn't stay to discuss everything. It was too much for me to handle tonight. Are you more worried now?" she asked quietly.

"Yes and no. I don't like the idea of it being two people we have to look out for. Or the fact that it's real criminals we're up against, not some jilted ex that might not have been as dangerous as these two. On the other hand, now we know who to search for. I've got the best team of detectives and bodyguards working on the case. They won't be able to hide for long," I answered as calmly as I could.

"I wish it was already over. And I have to admit that I'm a lot more worried now. Especially for you. This guy sounds crazy. I mean, not just typical stalker crazy, but…I don't know. I think you should have a bodyguard just like I do," she admitted. "My heart would be broken too," she added in a whisper.

"I know. It's already taken care of. Dad, Emmett, and I will all have a car and driver assigned to us starting tomorrow morning. That also comes with a ride along security member. Don't worry. We won't be taking any chances until both of them are caught. You, mom, and Rose are also being upgraded with a car and driver."

"I wish I had a magical force field that could keep us all safe. You and Bethy would be the first ones I'd wrap it around. Then all our family and friends. Nothing bad would ever touch us," she murmured, drawing looping patterns on my chest with her fingers. "Need me to help take away some stress tonight?" she offered, landing a couple kisses across the invisible patterns.

"Not tonight, love. Tonight I just want to hold you safely in my arms," I told her, squeezing her as close to me as possible. She held on just as tightly as I did.

The next morning everyone started our new security routine without complaint. Bethy was a little bit confused, but instantly accepted the excuse that it was for work. I felt a little guilty about shielding her from the evils of the world by the little white lies, but damn, she was only four and had plenty of time to learn how imperfect humanity was. I wanted to preserve her innocence for as long as I possibly could.

That evening, Bethy and I went with Bella to the literary foundation. Bethy joined the younger kids in Mom's group while I sat in on Bella's class. I loved watching her shine in her element. I also just needed to be near her to keep my sanity during all the bullshit we were dealing with.

"Since everyone seems to be so excited about our new project, I'd like to increase our meetings to twice a month instead of once. That way we'll have more time to discuss the books and the author's writing style while you all decide on which character you would like to write about. Each meeting we'll spend a portion of the time working on your papers, and I can help you with anything you need to work on," Bella announced as she wrapped up her class. All the students cheered over the extra meeting time and chatted excitedly amongst each other as they exited the room.

"Wow, teach. You've really got them worked up this session," I complimented, pulling her into me for a hug after the last student had left.

A beautiful, genuine smile crossed her face when she replied, "It's a cool project and gonna be a lot of fun. I'm excited about it too." Then a mischievous look sparked in her eye as she continued, "You know, if you're planning on hanging out here every time maybe you should write a paper too. Each student has to choose a character from the book and write their own version of a story featuring that character the way they would like to see them portrayed. At the end of the project we're having a party and dressing up as the characters we've chosen. You kind of look like an older version of that hot kid that played in one of the movies. Maybe we could do a little role playing after the party. My character is the badass evil bitch. It could be pretty interesting."

I growled against her neck, grabbing her ass and pressing her tightly against my body. "I'll leave the writing to your students, but I'd be glad to 'play' with you anytime."

Bella giggled and turned her head to land a kiss on my cheek. "Got any hot teacher fantasies I should know about?" she questioned teasingly.

"If any of my teachers looked half as hot as you, there's no way I would have been able to keep my mind on the coursework," I tossed back. "Every night I spend with you in my bed is a fantasy come to life."

"How do you do that?" she asked.

"Do what?" I wondered.

"Make me fall even more in love with you from one simple statement. You really are too charming, Edward Cullen."

"That's the game plan, baby. Make sure you fall so deep there's no chance of you regaining your senses and running the other way," I joked with her.

"Like I'd ever run away from you," she scoffed, completed with an eye roll.

Before I could come up with a remark, Bethy came running into the room with a small piece of paper flopping in her hand as her arms pumped back and forth. "Izzybelwa, I read another book to put on my list," she explained, extending her hand to give Bella the note.

"Good job, Jellybean! I'll add it to your reading log when we get home," Bella answered, pocketing the strip of paper and taking Bethy's hand to walk out with her. "I think it's already past your bedtime. We'd better get you home and tucked in right away."

Bethy's free hand reached for mine. She gave a little squeeze when we connected and asked, "Daddy, did you have fun in Izzybelwa's class?"

"Of course! Isabella's Daddy's new favorite teacher," I replied with a wink to said hot teacher.

"Was Daddy a good student?" Bethy asked Bella with a serious 'parent look' on her face.

"Well…" Bella began, tapping an index finger to her lip in thought. "He was very well behaved in class, but I expect him to get an A plus on his homework."

Bethy gasped and looked at me with wide eyes, declaring, "Daddy, you better make sure you do a good job for Izzybelwa so you get a smiley face."

"Oh, I'll make sure I get a really big smiley face from her," I smirked, earning a giggle from both my girls for very different reasons. Suddenly, getting Bethy home and tucked into bed became an urgent matter.

Later that night, I enthusiastically started on my 'homework', earning a whole row of smiley faces from Miss Swan.

The next day after work, I packed an overnight bag for Bethy to take to my parents. Jasper and Alice had finally put the finishing touches on their place and were having a housewarming party. According to Jasper, there were going to be quite a few people there. I wondered, but didn't ask, how everyone was going to fit in Jasper's small place.

As our driver pulled up to Jasper's driveway, I barely recognized the place. There was a ton of outdoor solar lighting illuminating the driveway and freshly landscaped areas along the front of the house. The front door had been replaced with one that had a full stained glass window. The railings and pickets on the front porch were glossy white from a new paintjob, and there were several potted and hanging plants adding to the charm.

"Have you ever been here before?" I asked Bella.

"No, I haven't. Jasper was usually at our place most of the time. Alice came over here a few times, but he never invited me," she answered.

"It's…different. You should have seen it when Jasper first bought the place. It was right after he opened his restaurant, and although he appreciated living at my parents, he wanted to be able to make it on his own. This was a bank foreclosure. The previous owners had let it get pretty run down, so Jasper got it really cheap. Once he started making a profit at New Moon, he completely remodeled it. He did a good job too, but it looks even better now," I explained.

Bella chuckled and said, "I bet the inside is even more drastically changed. This is Alice we're talking about here. She's good at this kind of stuff."

I took Bella's hand and walked the front steps to ring the doorbell, still in a trance from the welcoming transformation. Jasper answered the door with a huge grin on his face. "Welcome to our home," he greeted, motioning for us to enter.

Alice's excited voice rang out, "Bella! Edward! I'm so glad you're here."

There were already several people milling around between the kitchen and the back sunroom. I stood in shock, tuning my head to take in all the new décor around me, when Jasper chuckled next to me.

"It's pretty different, huh?" he asked.

I gave him a big smile and assured him that it was amazing. "I can't believe this is the same house you bought a few years ago. Or the same house I was in just a few months ago. You guys really did an amazing job with the decorating. I like the new front door too."

He laughed and responded, "Yeah, that was Alice's idea. She said the old one didn't 'feel' right after all the changes we made. Here, let me give you the tour." Alice had already swept Bella away, so I follow Jasper into the den. I recognized Bella's and Alice's old sofa and a few of the other trinkets that had been in their apartment, mixed with some of Jasper's old stuff. The room looked comfy and relaxing.

He led me down the hall, and I looked in to see their bedroom decked out like something that belonged in a castle. The bed was massive, with thick burgundy and gold draperies tied back around the bed and at the windows. The walls were a warm golden color, set off by maple stained trim that matched the furniture.

"Damn, I bet you feel like a king sleeping in here," I joked. "It's nice though."

"Yeah, maybe we went a little overboard, but we designed this room together. The spare bedroom was all Alice though. Take a look," he gestured towards the end of the hallway.

"That's incredible, Jasper. She did a great job," I commented, taking in the soft Caribbean colors and shear white linens. It looked like a tropical vacation destination.

"My favorite part of the remodel is the back sunroom. Remember how empty it was before? I loved the outside view with all the glass, but I never knew what to do with all the space even though it was one of the best features of the house. That's where most of the guests are right now," he explained, leading the way to join them.

"Holy shit!" was my reaction when we entered the formerly bare sunroom. The room was filled with furniture that looked like it was made from raw logs with thick cushions covering them. There were several leafless trees with tiny twinkling white lights weaved through the branches. There were half drawn bamboo shades covering the windows. There was a fully stocked bar at one end with the same log design. There were six stools on one side of the counter where Gabe and Dean were sitting and flirting with a few of Alice's coworkers.

At the other end of the room there was a fish pond in one corner, complete with a small waterfall and a retaining wall made from slate rocks. Multiple candles adorned many of the surfaces in the room and through the windows you could also see a few trees in the yard shining with strings of white lights. There were a couple of tall space heaters in place, which oddly completed the feel of being outside.

We joined Alice and Bella, who were drinking and talking with Emmett and Rose near the fish pond.

"Edward, this room is amazing! Isn't it?" Bella gushed. "God, if I lived here I don't think I would ever leave this room."

Everyone agreed and complimented Alice and Jasper on the whole house. We spent the evening hanging out with Alice's work friends, some of Jasper's employees from New Moon, and our little family gang.

I stayed close to Bella all evening, watching her laugh and enjoy herself. Sometimes I caught a glimpse of what looked like envy or sadness cross her face, but she quickly recovered. She made sure to limit her alcohol, not wanting a repeat of the last weekend when we spent the night on the bathroom floor.

All in all, it was a good night out with friends. It was also good to see Jasper so happy after all these years. He deserved someone like Alice in his life, and I could tell they were in it for the long haul.

On the ride back to our place, we were both quiet. Bella rested her head on my shoulder and linked her arm with mine. Having a driver gave me the opportunity to pay attention to the scenery as we traveled. We passed a few houses for sale, and my mind started wondering if Bella would be happier in one of them instead of the apartment. I could picture her getting excited about decorating each room together and inviting our friends over like Alice and Jasper had done. Maybe she would feel more at home in a place that we picked out together.

In an epiphytic moment, I realized that I would be happier in a place like that too. I wanted to give Bella the home of her dreams. I wanted to make it our home together. The penthouse had been perfect for me and Bethy, but I wanted a future that was perfect for all three of us. My vision didn't stop at just a house. I wanted everything with Bella. Marriage. More kids. Family vacations. The dog that Bella never had, but always wanted. Growing old and spoiling our grandkids together. I wanted it all.

When we walked through the front door, I tossed my keys on the side table and thought I'd test my theory. "Bella, do you like this apartment?" I asked, carefully gauging her response.

"Of course! It's beautiful…amazing. What's not to like?" she answered immediately.

"I know it's nice, but I thought maybe you'd prefer a house. I want you to have whatever you want," I replied.

"You're what I want. The place we live in doesn't matter," she said, her eyes holding my attention and reflecting nothing but honesty.

My chest rumbled, a cross between a growl and a moan. "Bella…and you think my one-liners make you fall more in love with me. I can't even tell you how much your honesty and selflessness brings me to my knees. It makes me want to spoil you even more."

She smiled a coy smile and hit me with an unexpected reply. "Of course…if we decide to have more kids someday, a house might be nice."

"Y-you want t-to have kids with me?" I stuttered, pleased and shocked because it wasn't something we had ever discussed before.

She blinked and furrowed her brow a bit. "Don't you?"

Before I even answered her, my mind was made up. I was going to ask Isabella Swan to be my wife. Soon. Very soon. There was just one person I had to talk to first.

Bella called my name, breaking me out of the trance I was in. "Did I say something wrong? I know we haven't talked about it…I just assumed. I'm sorry if you…"

"No! That's not it at all! You just caught me off guard for a minute. It's definitely something I would want with you," I hurried to assure her.

"Oh. Okay. I mean, not right away, of course. But someday," she amended.

"Right. Someday," I agreed verbally. Mentally, I added the word 'soon'.

After Bella left for work the next morning, I rushed over to my parents house, anxious to start planning my proposal.

Dad answered the door and led me to the kitchen where Mom and Bethy were cleaning up after breakfast.

"Hello, Edward, dear. You're here earlier than I expected," Mom greeted.

"Bella had to work early today, and I wanted to spend some time with my daughter," I answered before kissing Mom on the cheek. "Are you ready to go, sweetie?" I asked Bethy.

"Okay, Daddy. Let me get my stuff," she answered before taking off toward the stairs.

"Why are you in such a hurry, honey?" Mom asked, eyeing me speculatively.

"No reason," I answered without elaborating. I knew Mom was too intuitive to be fooled by some lame excuse. Since she looked more curious than worried, I decided to skip the excuse part.

"Ready, Daddy!" Bethy cheered beside me, struggling to keep the strap of her overnight bag from falling off her shoulder.

I took the bag and tossed it over my own shoulder, scooping Bethy up in the process. I plastered kisses all over her tiny face and laughed when she couldn't stop giggling.

"Tell Nana and PopPop thanks for letting you spend the night."

"Thanks for letting me spend the night," she repeated, still giggling as we left.

"What are we doing today, Daddy?" she asked after I strapped her in next to me in the back seat. I instructed the driver to circle around town a few times until I decided where to go. Once the privacy divider was up, I answered Bethy.

"Well, that depends. I need to ask you for some advice first," I began.

"What do you need help with, Daddy? Work stuff?" she questioned.

I chuckled, thinking that she could probably give me better work advice than half of my employees. "No, baby. Not work stuff. Family stuff. We need to have an important talk, and I want you to tell me how you really feel. Okay?"

She nodded her head, waiting in seriousness for the important talk to begin.

"Well…you like having Bella live with us, don't you?" I started with an easy one for her to answer.

"Yes, Daddy! I love Izzybelwa. She doesn't have to go back to her apartment now, does she?" Her sweet smile turned into a frown at the thought of Bella leaving.

"No. Bella doesn't ever have to leave if she doesn't want to. I like having her there too."

"You love her," she announced, as if explaining to me why I liked having her there.

"Yes. I love her a lot. Almost as much as I love you. You know you'll always be my favorite girl no matter what. But, Bella is really special to me too." I paused to make sure she was following me so far, and she nodded before waiting for me to continue.

"Bella is special to me like Aunt Rose is special to Uncle Emmett. How would you feel if I asked Bella to marry me?" I tossed out, hoping the direct approach was the right way to go.

"You should do it, Daddy!" she squealed. "If you marry Bella, we get to keep her forever, right?"

I laughed through a few happy tears and said, "That's the plan, baby. Would that make you happy?"

"Soooooo happy," she said, pressing her cheeks between her hands.

"Okay, good. Now, do you think she'll say yes?" I asked, honestly wanting someone's opinion even if it was from a four year old.

"Why wouldn't she say yes? She loves you too. I hear her say it all the time," she replied, a confused look on her face.

"I guess I'm just a little nervous. I'm glad one of us is so confident at least."

"Is that the vise you needed, Daddy?" she asked with such innocence and concern.

"That's part of it. Now the next part is really important," I emphasized with a loud whisper.

"What is it?" she whispered back loudly.

I cocked an eyebrow and asked, "How good are you at picking out a ring?"

The squeal that came next could probably have been heard around the world.


	36. Ch36 Unwanted Delivery

Chapter 36

BPOV

I hated working Saturdays. In fact, I was starting to hate my job altogether. The hours were unpredictable and the assignments weren't that interesting. To be honest, being a journalist wasn't the dream job I thought it was going to be. But, how could I just quit after working so hard to get there? What else could I do with my college degree?

As I was being chauffeured home, I considered asking Edward for my old job back since he needed to hire a new assistant anyway. It was a tempting idea, but I soon dismissed it, knowing that I wouldn't be content with a secretarial position even though I would love to see Edward at work everyday. I loved writing too much to abandon the field completely, but reporting facts for the _Times_ didn't allow me to be very creative. Too bad I couldn't get paid for writing fan fiction with my literary students. That would be the perfect job!

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't even realize the ride had ended until Peter opened the car door and waited for me to exit. He escorted me upstairs and checked in with Edward before he said goodbye for the night.

I was surprised to find Edward and Bethy in the kitchen cooking dinner together since it was a little late in the evening already. After the long day at work, I assumed that they would have already eaten and was prepared to settle for a quick sandwich, so it was a welcome surprise to see Edward stirring a pot of sauce while Bethy ripped a head of lettuce into tiny pieces for a salad.

"Izzybelwa, you're home! Me and Daddy are making spasketti. Are you hungry?" little Bethy asked.

"I sure am. It smells really great too," I replied, walking over to taste the sauce after giving Edward a hello kiss. I made my way over to give Bethy a kiss on the head and asked, "So, what did you guys do all day while I was at work?"

Her reaction was not what I had expected. Her eyes suddenly went huge, and she popped her little hand over her mouth before running out of the room. A little concerned, I asked Edward if she was alright.

"Uh…she umm…" he stuttered, clearing his throat and strangely adding, "She's fine. Kid's are weird like that sometimes." He shrugged his shoulders as if that was the only explanation needed.

"Okay…" I drew out my one word response while staring at Edward like he'd lost his mind. Something was definitely going on with the two of them, but I decided I was too exhausted to try and figure it out at the moment.

"Yeah, well…dinner's ready. Do you want to set the table while I go help Bethy wash her hands?" Edward asked, rushing out of the room before I could answer.

When we all sat down to eat, Bethy was all smiles and Edward focused the conversation on how my day went instead of filling me in on theirs. I knew sooner or later I would find out what those two were up to, so I didn't pry any further.

After Edward and I cleaned up the dinner dishes together, he offered to read Bethy's bedtime stories to her while I grabbed a shower and got ready for bed myself. I started to protest, not wanting to disappoint Bethy by skipping our story time, but decided that a hot shower sounded good after the long day I had. It also occurred to me that Edward may have been missing that bonding time the two of them use to share, so I graciously accepted his offer.

The next day was spent much like a typical Sunday, relaxing at the Cullen's and enjoying Esme's wonderful cooking. It was the perfect break before jumping into another stressful week of work.

Unfortunately, the peaceful day also gave me a false sense of security which left me totally unprepared for what happened after work on Monday. Edward and I arrived home at the same time. Minutes after we walked through the door, he received a phone call from the lobby. At first Edward seemed confused by whatever information was being relayed to him via the person on the other end of the line. Within seconds his look turned murderous. His grip on the phone tightened so much that his knuckles were turning white while his other hand fisted into a deadly weapon. Following that, his voice rose to levels I had never known possible as I tried to decipher what was going on from the one side of the conversation I could hear.

"What the hell do you mean 'it was delivered earlier today'?" he shouted into the phone. "Why the hell wasn't I notified when it happened? And who the fuck accepted the delivery?"

Upon hearing her father yelling, Bethy came running from her room, looking terribly concerned and bit afraid. When she noticed he was on the phone, her eyes quickly found me and she asked, "Is Daddy okay? Why is he yelling?"

I scooped her up and started carrying her back towards her playroom, making sure to assure her everything was okay. "He's okay. I think something went wrong at work, and he just got a little upset for a minute. Try not to worry about it."

The front of my shirt was bunched between her small fist as she clung to me, resting her head against my chest and nodding that she understood. "Maybe you should go back to work for my Daddy so you can make sure stuff doesn't go wrong like that."

I gave her a small chuckle and a kiss on the head, touched that she thought I had the power to make everything all better. "I'm sure your Daddy will be able to fix it. He's a very smart man. And I know he didn't mean to yell and make you worry."

I gave her a big squeeze before setting her back on her feet and pushing play on the Princess CD player. Before the music had a chance to start playing, I heard another loud comment from Edward.

"Don't do anything else! I'll be right down after I contact the police and my head of security to join us."

Music began to fill the room, and I busied Bethy with her toys before I decided to slip out and check on Edward .

"Okay, now that we've picked out which dolls want to have a tea party we need to get them dressed in their fanciest clothes. Why don't you start getting them ready while I go check on your dad real quick. I'll look for some cookies for our tea party while I'm out there too," I told Bethy with an encouraging smile, and she happily agreed.

As I stepped out of the playroom and closed the door behind me, I could hear Edward talking on the phone. He still sounded angrier than I've ever heard him, but the volume of his voice was more controlled.

"I hired you because you're the best. Bella's safety isn't something I'm willing to take a gamble on. This shit never should have happened. The police are already on their way, and I'm heading down as soon as we hang up. I expect you and Alec to meet me there with an explanation and a solution," he barked before ending the call.

"Edward, is everything okay?" I asked in a quiet voice, afraid to get caught on the shouting edge of his mood.

When he turned to see me standing there, his features immediately softened as he answered, "I'm sorry if I scared you. Thank you for taking Bethy out of here. I'm sure I scared her as well."

"Well, maybe a little, but we'll be okay. I told her something at work went wrong and you were just upset for a minute. I think she'll forget all about it once you reassure her everything is okay. But what happened? Why are you so upset?"

His expression turned to one of pain and sorrow as he hesitated to answer. "Something from James was delivered to the building today. It should never have been accepted as a normal delivery. With all the extra security, the front desk knew to call in Alec to deal with it. Instead, they let the guy walk right out the door and sat on the delivery for hours until we got home. Apparently, the regular guy at the desk was sick today, and had a sub from another building take his place without proper instruction."

I was almost afraid to ask, but I had to know. "What kind of delivery was it?"

Edward had already moved closer to me and wrapped me in the protective cage of his arms, answering, "I don't want you to have to worry about this shit, baby. I've got to go downstairs and deal with this. We'll talk about it later, okay? I don't know how long this will take, so why don't you and Bethy go ahead and get started on dinner. I'll eat something when I get back."

Even though I didn't know exactly what was going on, I wanted to cry and scream at the same time because it wasn't fair for our lives to be interrupted by shit like that. We shouldn't have to be worrying about catching some crazy criminal who was plotting some sick sort of revenge. Instead, I gave Edward my trust and support with a hug and a kiss, telling him dinner would be waiting for him when he got back.

He went to check on Bethy before he left, and I headed to the kitchen to score a couple of cookies for a tea party and lay out something to cook for dinner. Bethy was happier after seeing her dad was okay. We enjoyed a quick tea party before she helped me dump a bunch of canned vegetables into a pot for soup while I cooked the beef tips to add to the mix.

An hour of simmering and a couple of grilled cheeses later, Bethy and I sat down to eat without Edward. Successfully, I put on a happy face, while internally I worried about Edward and the situation downstairs.

I had just tucked Bethy in bed after reading three stories for the night when Edward finally walked through the door. He looked beat, but still managed a small smile when he said, "Something smells great. Your vegetable soup?"

"Yeah. Sit down, and I'll get you a bowl. You want me to make a grilled cheese sandwich too?"

"No. It's late, and I don't have that much of an appetite. Just the soup is fine," he answered, dropping down into the chair to wait.

I placed the soup in front of him with a side of crackers and a glass of milk before I sat next to him while he ate, waiting patiently for him to fill me in on what happened.

"This is really good, baby," he commented between bites, remaining otherwise silent while he finished eating.

I followed him in the kitchen when he went to wash out his bowl, hoping he was finally ready to talk. After a long sigh, he turned from his position at the sink and reached out for me to join him.

"I'd really hoped I could spare you the details in this, but Garrett thinks it's important for you to be aware of everything. I don't know if I agree with him. I just want to protect you from it all, but I don't want to keep information from you either," he began, holding my hand as he led me to the couch to sit down.

"Honey, don't worry so much about protecting me from hearing unpleasant things. We're in this together. We're stronger when we have each other. Just tell me," I encouraged.

"James had a dozen roses delivered to the lobby, addressed to you. They were black roses, and there was a handwritten note attached. The note said…it doesn't matter what the note said. The police and Garrett have copies of the security tapes and they'll track down the company that supplied the roses. They'll catch James before he has a chance to do anything else."

"What did the note say, Edward?"

He started to plead with me to drop it, but seeing that it wasn't going to happen he relented. "It said: See you soon, James."

"Okay…that's not as bad as I expected," I started to say.

"Not as bad as you expected? Baby, are you crazy? That's a direct indication that he plans on acting on this soon. God, I don't even want you leaving the house until he's caught! I know that's not feasible, but shit! I can't let anything happen to you."

"We've all got security and they know who to look out for. We'll be extra careful. Maybe he isn't planning something just yet. Maybe he's just fucking with us. Trying to scare us," I tried to reason.

"No. Garrett thinks that was his intention with the first package. To scare us. This delivery was more personal, more direct. It came to our home. It was addressed to you. It was handwritten and signed. He knows we've already figured out he's the one behind this, and he _wants_ us to know it's him. This note was meant to send us into a panic before he gets what he wants. Can you at least take a few days off work? A week maybe? You know you don't have to worry about money, and I'm sure they would understand the urgency under the circumstances."

Having it all spelled out to me that way made me realize that Edward was right. It was a serious threat. And even though locking myself away wasn't exactly the answer, putting myself in danger for a job wasn't the way to go either.

"I'll call in the morning and let them know I need some time off."

As soon as the words left my mouth, Edward's whole body seemed to relax. He pulled me onto his lap and held me tight, breathing out a 'thank you' as he nuzzled against my neck.

The next morning I called the _Times_ and made them aware of my plans to take at least a week off. They weren't exactly thrilled with the idea, but understood it was necessary for my safety. After my phone call, I snuggled back into the crisp sheets of the bed and decided to sleep in late for a change.

Edward had already left for work, dropping Bethy off at school on his way. I had expressed to Edward that I was worried about sending her to school, suggesting that James' plotting may have been more devious than we thought. What if he was purposely focusing his threats on me in order to create a diversion while he actually targeted Bethy? Edward had already considered that possibility, which is why security around the school had also been amplified. There was no way in hell anyone was getting on or off of that property without being caught.

That evening Edward was a little late coming home from work due to a meeting with Garrett at the end of the day. He did have some news about the investigation though. Through the security video, they tracked down the florist that the flowers came from. Upon viewing the security feed from the florist, they saw that James had actually came into the shop to order the flowers himself. The counterperson remembered him easily, due to the unusual nature of the order. James assured them that his girlfriend's favorite color was black and she would love the arrangement. He paid cash and filled out the note card himself.

That discovery didn't give them any leads on finding him, but it did solidify the theory that he was getting braver and closer to making his move. I was very thankful for Edward's suggestion of taking time off work.

Later that night when Edward and I were lying in bed, he surprised me with some more information. This time it was the good kind.

"So, I've been thinking…you already have a week off from work and Valentine's Day is next week…" he started, turning on his side so we were facing each other. "I remember having a conversation with you in the very beginning of our relationship when you told me how awesome it would be to travel around the world on a whim. To go wherever you wanted without worrying about time or money. Do you still think that?"

"Of course I do. Who wouldn't want to be able to travel like that?" I answered.

He gave me one of his devilish smirks and replied, "Good. Because I wanted to do something special for you since it's our first Valentine's together. Pick a place. Any place you've always wanted to visit. I can promise you that money's not an issue, but time…well, that may be our only stumbling block this time around. Mom and Dad are more than willing to watch Bethy, and I know she'll be safe with them, but I don't want to be away too long with everything that's going on. A four day weekend would work out good though. So, keep that in mind when you choose."

"What? Are you serious? We can't just up and leave on some romantic getaway…" My rambling was cut off by the sound of Edward snickering.

"Why not?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Because…because we…I…well, I don't know. Don't you have to work?" I answered in a feeble attempt to make sense.

"I own the company. I can take off whenever I want. We have our own plane, so we don't need airline tickets. We both have passports. Pick a place," he replied, leaving little room for arguing.

I smiled, delighted for once to be spoiled by my rich boyfriend. "Okay. But are you sure you don't want to take Bethy with us. I don't mind, you know."

"Next time. This is your Valentine's gift. We'll buy Bethy a stuffed animal while we're gone. She'll be happy with that."

I actually giggled and kicked me feet, getting them twisted in the sheets during my excitement. "God, I love you! But I have no idea where to go. Got any ideas?"

Edward laughed again and easily answered, "Anywhere you want. First decide what kind of vacation you want. What kind of stuff you'd like to do. Keep in mind that traveling overseas will take a lot more travel time and might cause a little bit of jet lag, so your actual time there won't be as fulfilling. It's still doable if that's where you want to go, but the options are endless. We can also plan a longer vacation another time."

"Hmmm," I tried to think. "How long do I have to decide?"

"I'd like to leave Thursday or Friday if possible, so…a day to decide? It really shouldn't be that hard. Do you want to go skiing in Aspen? Spend the weekend in a cozy cabin by the fire? Or maybe gamble all my money away in Vegas. If you want a warmer climate, we could spend our time on a beach in the Bahamas somewhere or act like kids at Disneyworld," he suggested.

"Edward, all of those things sound like so much fun! And I definitely want to do all of them with you someday. But I think I already know which one to choose this time. I'm sick of the cold weather right now. Sand and sun sound good. Romantic walks in the moonlight…watching the sunrise while we have breakfast on our balcony…swimming with the dolphins. The Bahamas!"

Edward rolled on top of me, tickling me with kisses as he laughed and said, "Good choice. You in a bikini, dripping wet with sand stuck to your feet…mmmm, very good choice."

I was so excited, I couldn't sleep. We discussed all the different things we'd like to do while we were there, until Edward's head on my chest felt heavier and buzzed with tiny snores between breaths. I however, couldn't fall asleep at all.

_We're going to the Bahamas! I get Edward all to myself for four days…in the Bahamas!_


	37. Ch37 Paradise

Chapter 37

BPOV

Running on very little sleep, with my mind full of a million things I needed to do, I may not have been thinking clearly when I text my best friend at seven o'clock in the morning to ask for help. I may have also said something about an emergency, which explains why there was a ruckus outside my door twenty minutes later.

I looked through the peephole, and I could see the back of a security guard who seemed to be struggling with someone. My body tensed, and I immediately reached for my phone to dial 911 until I heard a familiar voice screeching, "Let me through! She said it was an emergency! Bella could be lying dead on the other side of that door by the time you let me in! I'm her best friend, not some criminal, you idiot. Wait until Mr. Cullen hears about this! Your job is on the line here, Mister, along with my best friend's safety."

I hurried to open the door and put an end to the misunderstanding. Before I could speak, Alice launched herself at me with her arms wide open for a hug. It was a small mistake on her part because, to security, it looked more like an attack. She quickly found herself pinned against the wall with her hands behind her back.

"No, no, no! Let her go! She's my friend," I rushed to tell the guard she wasn't a threat. "God, I'm so sorry, Ali."

He let go of her and took a step back, issuing a short apology to Alice and letting me know the situation could be avoided in the future if I made my guests aware of the security measures and informed him of impending guests.

I felt horrible, apologized to both of them again, and admitted that the new security measures had slipped my mind. Alice's first concern, God bless her, was to make sure I was okay.

"Bella, are you sure you're okay?" she asked, eying the new guard suspiciously. "You said there was an emergency and that you needed help."

I smacked my hand against my head and nodded, telling her I was fine and inviting her in. I shut the door behind us and started to explain, "Alice, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I wasn't thinking when I sent that text. It wasn't that kind of emergency. I was just so excited, and I don't have much time to get everything together."

"Good grief, Bella! I almost killed myself rushing over here. I thought…"

I bit my lip and gave her a sheepish look, asking her to forgive me. She shook her head at the absurdity of it all and finally offered me that hug that had been so abruptly interrupted.

"I forgive you, as long as you're really okay. What's with the intense security anyway? That guy demanded to see my ID, searched through my purse, and all but stripped searched me for weapons before you came to the door," she fussed.

"Oh, I forgot I haven't talked to you in a few days. James delivered another threat, and Edward tightened up on security around all of us." I thought about it for a second and gave a little laugh, asking, "What were you planning to do when you got here anyway? You came by yourself…and without any weapons."

We both started laughing, and Alice admitted that she wasn't really thinking clearly. I filled her in on all the details about James' latest stunt, and she was in agreement with Edward's reaction.

"Okay…so what was your big emergency anyway?" she finally asked.

"I've got about twenty-four hours to be packed and ready to go the Bahamas for a four day romantic getaway. Edward surprised me with the news last night, and we're leaving at seven o'clock tomorrow morning. It's his Valentine's gift to me," I explained.

Alice squealed with delight for me and, within seconds, slipped into planning mode. Her mad skills were exactly what I needed at the moment. Even though Edward had told me not to worry about packing much because we could just buy whatever we needed when we got there, I still couldn't fight my compulsion to arrive prepared. Besides, I didn't want to waste any of our precious time with unnecessary shopping.

My other concern was to pack a few 'special' things for a night of romance as my own Valentine's gift to Edward. Last night, after the initial shock of his surprise wore off, I admitted that I hadn't gotten the chance to get him anything yet. He just chuckled and told me that the best gift I could give him was to 'say yes'. Accepting an awesome tropical vacation was hardly a present on my part, but Edward was a silly man sometimes.

Once my best friend and I were done, two large suitcases and a duffle bag were waiting anxiously by the door, ready for their trip to paradise. The only thing missing was something new and sexy that I planned to purchase on my one carefully orchestrated outing before we left.

"Okay, Alice. Sit tight and let me organize our small adventure for today. It will probably take a little while before we can go, so you might want to check the fridge to find something for lunch while we wait. It will be easier to eat here than plan an extra stop anyway," I said while dialing Peter's number.

Alice worked on preparing a couple sandwiches while I informed Peter of the two stops I needed to make. A quick trip to the spa was definitely needed for a full waxing, and a visit to my favorite lingerie store was required to complete my packing.

Within an hour, Peter was at my door to escort us to the car that was waiting to take us to our destinations. Full security measures had been laid out, and the two businesses had been made aware of our plans.

"Thanks for helping arrange this last minute stuff for me. It shouldn't take long. Then you'll have four whole days off without having to worry about watching my back all the time," I joked with Peter as we left the apartment.

"No problem, Bella. I enjoy my job. I'll probably even be bored while you're gone, but hopefully we can put an end to all this before you return. I'm sure you're anxious to get your freedom and your life back," he replied with a gentle smile.

We stopped at the spa first since an appointment time had been made by the security team. Peter followed us into the building that had already been cleared by the two guards at the door, also part of our extended security detail. He stuck to me like glue while I checked in at the front desk. Alice snickered behind me, enjoying the celebrity treatment forced upon us.

I followed the assistant to the back room and stopped Peter at the door with my hand on his chest to prevent him from continuing. "Umm…I'm pretty sure Edward doesn't want you to accompany me in this particular room," I commented, with a slight blush from embarrassment.

Adorably, Peter blushed back and answered, "I'll…uh…I'll wait just outside this door. Enjoy your…uh…well, I'll be right out here when you're done." With that, he stepped aside enough to let the salon employee enter the room and assumed his post at the door.

I was a little embarrassed as I undressed and slipped into the spa robe. Knowing Peter was just on the other side of the closed door, while I bared it all to have every hair stripped from my private areas, was a little weird for me. Freedom and privacy were kind of scarce these days, but the extra precautions were necessary for my safety and Edward's peace of mind.

Alice was waiting for me at the manicure station when I finished. We chatted about the different suggestions Edward had given me for vacation ideas while both getting a French manicure and pedicure. Peter kept watch from the entrance after declining Alice's teasing offer for him to join us.

At our next stop, Alice helped me find the perfect sexy wear while I tried to ignore the curious stares from the other customers. They were probably trying to figure out if I was someone famous because of the three bodyguards accompanying us.

It didn't take long to decide on a pink corset style top with black edging, garter straps, and silky, thigh high, matching stockings. My favorite part of the outfit was the uniquely designed thong that came with it. The material on the sides wrapped around to meet in the front where they were secured together by a small, heart shaped padlock. The only way to remove the panties after they were locked on was with the included key. I thought Edward would get a kick out of having the key to unlock my panties. It might have been a little corny, but I had an idea to make it work in our favor.

"I'm so jealous of you, Bella. You're going to have so much fun this weekend! I wish Jasper and I could go with you, but that wouldn't be very romantic. You guys have fun, and call me as soon as you get back," Alice said in parting when we got back to the apartment.

"I will. And thanks for helping me get everything together today," I replied as we hugged each other goodbye.

With a few hours to spare before Edward came home, I tidied up the house so it wasn't a mess when Maggie came to clean the next day. I packed Bethy's bag for her stay at Esme and Carlisle's while we were gone. It was easy to do since I now knew which items were the most important to Bethy, Blue Bunny included. I also packed some of the newest books we hadn't read yet. Lastly, I cooked some stir fry for dinner and was setting the table when Edward and Bethy walked in.

"Looks like somebody's in a hurry to leave town," Edward teased after he walked through the door, passing the waiting suitcases on his way to greet me.

"I'm definitely excited about the trip. And there's nothing wrong with being ready," I admitted.

Edward blazed his amazing smile at me and joked, "You do know we're only going to be gone for four days, right?" He tilted his head, referencing the amount of luggage I had packed for such a short trip.

"I'm ready and prepared. Everything we need is in there. No need for an extravagant shopping trip as soon as we land," I clarified.

"I'm just teasing, baby. I'm glad you're so excited…and prepared. Dinner smells great, by the way." He gave me a kiss and sat down to eat.

Bethy was already in her chair, watching us with a smile on her face. While we ate, she filled us in on her day at school. Apparently, she was tied with a boy named Jimmy for first place in the reading log. I promised her that we would add an extra book or two into reading time after we got back from our trip so she'd have a better chance at winning. She happily agreed that more books were better.

We all decided to go to bed early since we had to get such an early start the next day. Just as I was slipping into bed, I remembered that I meant to call my dad and let him know we would be out of town until after the weekend. I didn't want him to worry if he tried to call and we didn't answer.

"Don't worry. I already told Charlie about our plans," Edward said, after I voiced my concern. "I called him from work earlier, after I finalized our arrangements. He said to tell you to have a good time and call him when we get back."

"Thanks," I responded with a yawn, settling in next to Edward for a good night's sleep. I knew he talked to Dad enough to keep him updated on our security and wellbeing since the James mess had started, but I was still impressed that he remembered to take care of every detail before we left.

"Wake up, baby. It's time to go. Paradise awaits," Edward's gravely morning voice whispered in my ear. My eyes opened. In a flash, I was sitting up and shuffling out of the covers to get dressed. Edward chuckled at my enthusiasm and joined me in getting ready.

We pulled into the Cullen's driveway at six a.m. Carlisle opened the front door to greet us, and Esme took a sleepy Bethy from my arms while Edward carried her bags into the house.

"Here's the number of the resort in case you need to reach us," Edward said, handing a piece of paper to his dad. "We'll be back late Sunday evening. Bella packed a bunch of books for you to read with Bethy. Don't forget to write them down in her log book. Some kid named Jimmy is trying to beat her out of first place," he told Esme, causing all of us to chuckle a bit.

"We'll be fine here, honey. You two just go off and enjoy this time away. You both deserve a break from everything," Esme instructed.

"Thanks, Mom." Edward gave Esme a kiss on the cheek before saying goodbye to his daughter.

"Be good for Nana and PopPop. I'm gonna miss you, but we'll be back soon," he said to Bethy.

"I'll be good, Daddy. I'll miss you bunches and bunches too. Love you," she replied.

"Love you too, baby," he added, giving her a big squeeze and a kiss.

"You and Blue Bunny have fun while we're gone, Jellybean. Want us to bring you back anything special?" I asked.

Small crinkles in her forehead appeared as she tried to think of something good to ask for. "A bunch of seashells!" she decided.

I laughed and said, "A bunch of seashells it is! I'll pick out the best ones on the beach just for you. Be good. I love you."

"Love you too," she chirped, hugging me goodbye.

Edward and I were headed back to the car when her little voice rushed to stop us. "Wait! Izzybelwa" she yelled, running up to me and tugging on my sleeve to get me to bend down. "Please say yes," she whispered in my ear.

I was a little confused and started to ask her what she was talking about, but Edward interrupted us by picking her up and telling her we had to hurry to catch our plane. She gave him another hug and said, "Good luck, Daddy."

Carlisle and Esme each took one of her hands and led her back to the porch, where all three of them waved goodbye and told us to have fun on our trip.

During the five hour plane ride, Edward showed me a bunch of papers he had printed off about our trip. We spent most of the flight discussing different excursions that were available to sign up for.

Turns out, our destination was actually named Paradise Island, Bahamas. The pictures were beautiful, and the list of activities were a mile long. Swimming with the dolphins was actually one of the choices available.

"I can't believe they really have _Swimming With the Dolphins _listed here. That would be so cool, but I think I want to save that for the next time. I bet Bethy would love to do that!" I told Edward.

"I want you to pick whatever you want to do on this trip. We can do it this time and next time if you want to," he answered.

"No, we'll do it next time when we're all together. There's so many choices; I'm sure we can find a bunch of other things to do. Honestly, I'm just looking forward to relaxing on the beach and spending time alone with you," I assured him. "Although this glass bottom boat cruise looks pretty cool. It takes you to one of the smaller islands where there's a great spot for snorkeling. That could be fun."

"Okay. We'll sign up for that when we get there. Anything else you want to do?" Edward asked.

"I don't want to pack our time with activities. Most of what I want to do isn't on this list. I just want the simple things. We'll figure it out when we get there."

Our plane landed in the Grand Bahamas. A car and driver were waiting to transport us across the causeway to Paradise Island where our resort was located. After forty-five minutes of enjoying the scenic view during the ride, Edward and I were checking in at the front desk of the most glamorous hotel I had ever seen.

The lady behind the desk had Edward sign a few papers. Then she handed us a stack of brochures featuring all the amenities of the resort, a map of the island, and a key ring with two keys on it.

"The larger key is to the boat, and the other one is for the house. If you have any questions or need any assistance at all, please, don't hesitate to ask. One of our many staff members would be happy to help you," the lady said.

Edward thanked her and asked to sign us up for the glass bottom boat cruise for the next day. Once our reservation had been confirmed, Edward slipped the duffle bag strap over his shoulder and grabbed the handle of one of the suitcases.

"Grab the other suitcase and follow me. We'll get settled in first and then explore some of the resort," he said, leading the way to the front exit.

"Where are we going? Isn't this our hotel?" I asked.

Edward paused and explained, "This is our resort, but I arranged for us to stay in a beach house on one of their private islands. It's just a short boat ride away. We can travel back and forth easily, and we get the best of both worlds. Our own private island and all the amenities offered here. If you'd rather stay in the hotel, we can still get a room here instead."

It took me a minute to process what he said. When I did, I still wasn't sure how to respond. The hotel was beautiful, but a private island with Edward…

"This private island sounds perfect. Let's check it out first, okay?" I finally answered.

A hotel staff member pulled up in front of the hotel and loaded our bags into the fancy golf cart he was driving. Edward gave him the dock number for the boat that was assigned to us, and the driver took us straight to it. He helped us place our luggage on the boat and sped off after issuing an "Enjoy the island, mon!"

"You ready?" Edward asked, holding out a hand to help me into the boat.

"You sure you know how to drive this thing? We're not going to get lost, are we?" I questioned in return.

He laughed and promised me that we would make it to our island with no trouble at all. There were a few bodies of land visible in the distance. Edward pointed to the first one and said, "See that small island right there? That one's ours for the next few days."

We sped across the clear blue water with ease, reaching our private piece of paradise in just a few minutes. The sand was like white powder. Palm trees adorned the edges of the island. Not far from the shore was a small clearing where an intimate little beach house was nestled. It was built on stilts, lifting it off the ground a bit. The front walls were made of glass, and the balcony type porch wrapped around three sides. Off to one side, between two palm trees, a hammock swayed in the gentle breeze.

Edward reached for a suitcase and halted, asking, "Do you want to check it out first, before we decide to stay?"

"It's already amazing! Bring the suitcases!" I yelled, running ahead to look in the windows of the house. I heard him laughing behind me while he dragged our bags up the stairs.

"If you would have waited a second, you could have taken the keys and let yourself in," he laughed, seeing me cupping the glass with my hands to peek inside.

Edward pulled the key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. When I stepped inside I almost cried at how amazing it was. The cathedral ceilings had several skylights between heavy wooden beams. The open floor design boasted an impressive kitchen and bar in the middle, surrounded by a seated dining area on one side and a huge lounge area on the other.

I followed the short hallway to the back of the house where I found an extravagant bathroom sandwiched between two elegant bedrooms. Both bedrooms had sliding glass doors leading to the balcony. The beds were huge, draped in sheer bedding with a mound of fluffy pillows at the head.

"Does everything meet your approval?" Edward teased, setting our suitcases in front of the bed.

"Everything is beyond incredible. Thank you. I might not want to go home though," I answered.

"The kitchen should already be stocked. I'll go make some lunch if you want to start unpacking," Edward offered.

I agreed and joined him at the bar to eat when I was done. After we were finished, we both changed into more tropical apparel and ventured outside to explore our island. As soon as my feet hit the sand, my brain signaled the official start of my vacation.

Edward and I walked barefoot along the water's edge, hand in hand, letting the warm water lap at our feet. You could see the main island and some of the larger buildings in the distance, but it looked tiny from where we were. Other than that, it felt like we were on a deserted island. The house was the only disturbance to the island's natural state.

We walked for about half an hour before we turned around to head back in the other direction, enjoying the serenity of the island. It was warm, but not too hot. There was a constant breeze blowing. It was the perfect escape from the madness that surrounded us in New York City.

We decided to head back to the resort to look around and have dinner out so neither one of us had to cook. There were a lot of vacationers at the resort, but it was so spread out that it didn't seem overly crowded. There were people lounging on the beach and swimming in the ocean. The biggest crowd was near the pool where there was music playing and a floating bar people could swim up to and get their drinks.

The bottom floor of the hotel was like a shopping mall filled with stores. We browsed through some of the shops on our way to the huge casino that connected two of the resort's hotels. Edward was surprised that I had never been to a casino before. He decided that I had to at least try my hand at gambling while we were there.

I followed him to a roulette wheel that looked pretty easy to play. I picked a number or a color, and Edward placed the bet for me. I had no idea what the rules were, but it wasn't as much fun as it looked. We also lost about twenty dollars before we walked away.

The blackjack tables were full, but I didn't want to get that involved in a game anyway, even though it was the one thing I did know how to play. Instead, I asked Edward if we could play the slot machines. There were a ton of them, all colorful with blinking lights and different themes. You could play with dollars or coins, but I preferred to drop in a quarter at a time and hop around to different machines often. It was fun, and Edward had fun watching me. In the end, I came out with about ten dollars in winnings.

"So, Miss High Roller, what are you going to spend all that money on?" Edward teased as we left the casino.

I smiled and answered, "Well, I was going to buy my boyfriend a drink at the bar, but he seems to be missing. Do you know where he went, Mr. Smartass?"

Edward laughed and pulled me into his side for a hug. "He said he'll meet you at the bar, and he loves you."

We found our way to an outdoor bar where a band was putting on a concert on the beach. We enjoyed our drinks and took in some of the show before walking further down the shoreline. Upon reaching a small hill of dry sand, we decided to sit and watch the sun set.

"Maybe you could move the Cullen Corporation to the Bahamas and we could live down here forever," I thought out loud.

"I don't think the area is zoned for that kind of business, but we can come back whenever we want," he answered, nuzzling my neck and peppering it with kisses that sent shivers over my body. "Cold?"

"No," I answered, along with a growl from my tummy. "But I am getting a little hungry. Are you ready to go eat?"

"Come on. Let's go feed that monster in your tummy," he answered, taking my hand and leading me back to the busy section of the resort.

We found a nice restaurant with outdoor seating and ordered a big surf and turf meal before we headed back to the boat and our little paradise.

As soon as we docked the boat, Edward took off his shirt and asked, "Do you want to go for a swim?"

"Yeah, that sounds nice," I replied, watching as he unzipped his cargo shorts. "Should we go get our suits on?"

"There's no one else here, baby. I don't think suits are required," he said, standing before me in his boxer briefs.

He took a step closer to me, grabbing the hem of my shirt and lifting it up and over my head. He tossed my shirt on the sand and moved on to my shorts. I held onto his shoulders as I stepped out of them. Before I knew what he was doing, I felt him pop the snap on my bra which left me topless.

My jaw dropped open and I announced, "Well, if I'm going totally nude…" I slipped my fingers under his waistband and slowly started lowering his underwear while he simultaneously did the same with mine. Once we were both naked, he picked me up and carried me out into the water.

After he was waist deep, he gently let me down in front of him. The water was incredibly warm, and the moonlight glistened across the surface of it. Edward brushed the tops of my arms with his fingers before tilting my chin up to look in my eyes. He was so damn gorgeous, and the way he looked at me made me feel like the luckiest woman alive. The only three words I could think of left my mouth in a whisper.

"I love you."

His answering kiss said more than those three words. I wrapped my legs around his waist and felt his erection rubbing against my center. I moaned into his mouth and shifted my position. His hands cupped my ass as he slid into me, our bodies moving against each other with the steady rocking of the ocean. My arms wrapped around his neck while he sucked and kissed on mine. Within minutes, I fell apart in his arms. His movements sped up, and the deep growl coming from his chest alerted me that he was coming too.

We made our way into the house to shower before getting into bed and making love one more time for a perfect ending to our first day in paradise.

"Wake up, baby. It's almost time for the sun to rise, and breakfast is waiting for you on the balcony," Edward spoke, softly brushing the hair away from my face.

I got out of bed, wrapping the sheet around my naked body, and followed him out onto the balcony. There were two plates of eggs, bacon, and croissants on the outdoor table. Two glasses of orange juice and a small bowl of grapes were also waiting for us to enjoy. Edward took a seat across from me, still shirtless, but wearing a pair of cotton lounge pants.

"This looks delicious. I can't believe you got up so early to do all this for me."

"Of course I did. You said you wanted to watch the sun rise while eating breakfast on the balcony," he stated, obviously telling me that whatever I wanted, I would get.

"You're so good to me," I smiled and tucked into the eggs.

Breakfast was delicious. The sunrise was beautiful. And my man was unbelievably wonderful.

We got dressed in our swim suits, tossed some clothes on over them, and got an early morning start for our cruise.

There were several other couples on the cruise. One of the couples was on their honeymoon, and another pair was celebrating their anniversary. We had a good time chatting with them while we observed sea life beneath the glass bottom of the boat. It was amazing how clear the water was. You could see all the way to the bottom of the sandy ocean floor.

When we reached our snorkeling spot, Edward and I ventured away from the other couples to explore together. We saw so many different fish with brilliant colors. There was a coral reef with starfish and seahorses hanging around it. The baby seahorses were my favorite. I wanted to take a bunch home with me to show Bethy.

On our ride back to shore, the cruise director pointed out several different islands and houses that belonged to famous actors. We also passed closely by an island where they harvested conch shells. There was a huge mountain of them near the shore. I laughed and made the remark, "Bethy wanted seashells. Wonder what she would think if we brought her back all of those?"

"She'd probably love it. We'd have seashells decorating every surface in the house," he laughed along with me.

When we got back to the resort, we decided to spend the rest of the day on the public beach. We took a walk along the shore, collecting more seashells for Bethy, and had a nice lunch at the snack bar by the pool before settling into a couple of lounge chairs on the beach.

I pulled the camera out of my bag and took a bunch of pictures of the resort, palm trees, the ocean, and Edward. He looked so good that I got a little carried away with my photography.

I took a couple pictures of his sand covered feet, his long legs, his impressive v that disappeared under the waistband of his swim trunks, his sun kissed chest, the muscles in arms, his beautiful face, and his crazy tousled hair with bronze highlights that were heightened from the sun. I giggled at the memory of Edward taking such pictures of me on his bed at Christmas when I wore the same red ties that were currently tucked into the inside pocket of my suitcase.

Edward endured a few more snaps from my camera before lifting his sunglasses and giving me one final shot of his piercing green eyes. With a crooked smirk on his face, he stole my camera and pointed it at me.

"You've got enough pictures of me. It's my turn now," he declared with a click of the camera.

I allowed him to take his turn while I smiled and posed for the pictures. We finally put the camera away when a waitress came by to take our drink order. Yes, in paradise, an attendant brings you drinks on the beach.

We leaned back in our chairs, sipping on our drinks and looking out over the ocean. I caught sight of a well-oiled sunbather wetting her legs in the water in front of us. I almost choked on my drink when I noticed how attractive and topless she was.

I glanced at Edward to see if he noticed her too, but I couldn't tell what his eyes were focused on behind the dark tint of his sunglasses. I thought I saw the corner of his lip twitch, trying to disguise a smile, so I slapped his arm to get his attention.

He turned his head to me in shock, innocently asking, "What was that for?"

I tipped my head towards the half naked girl, and he laughed.

"I'm a man, Bella. There are boobs out in the open. What do you expect me to do?" he brilliantly responded.

I don't know why, but a wave of jealousy rippled through me, and I straddled his lap to block the view. I reach around with one hand to unsnap my bikini top and said, "If my man wants to see boobies…"

"Whoa!" he almost shouted, cupping my top to my breasts before I could expose myself. "Baby, your boobies are the only ones I want to see. Trust me on that. But I also want to be the only one that sees them."

I grabbed the dangling ends of my top and refastened it. Edward moved his hands to my hips, and I crossed my arms over my chest while challenging him with my 'I'm waiting for an explanation' glare.

"I honestly didn't even see that girl until you pointed her out. My eyes weren't even open until you hit me," he defended, leaning in to kiss the pout off my lips. "Besides, that girl has nothing on my beautiful, sexy, unnecessarily jealous girlfriend. You look so fucking hot in this bikini; it's taking every bit of my willpower not to ravish you on this beach in front of everyone."

Half-naked girl on the beach forgotten, I gave into his kisses. A minute into our short make out session, Edward murmured, "Let's go back to our own private beach, baby."

I nodded and climbed off his lap, taking his hand to walk back to the boat. As soon as we landed on our island, Edward jumped off the boat and spread a blanket across the sand. He sat down and reached out for me with a brilliant smile on his face.

"Come here and show me some boobies now," he requested.

I took off my top and tossed it on the ground before leaping on top of him. We rolled around on the blanket, giggling and playing with each other. Neither one of us removed any more clothing, but we spent the rest of the afternoon kissing, touching, and giving each other pleasure. It was actually much more intimate than just taking our clothes off and having sex.

After enjoying each other on the beach, we decided to take a shower and go back to the main island for dinner. The best restaurant in the Bahamas happened to be part of our resort, and Edward had promised we would eat there before our trip was over. Luckily, I had packed a formal outfit for both of us, thanks to Alice's advice. So, we both dressed up for a fancy dinner date. Underneath my black dress, I had my new lingerie in place for later.

As we were walking out the door, I handed Edward the small key and said, "I wanted to give you the key to my heart. You'll need it for later." He gave me a puzzled look, but slipped the key into the pocket of his dress pants and walked me out to the boat.

Dinner was amazing. Instead of listing any appetizers on the menu, they brought small samples of delicious offerings to the table, one at a time. With every plate that arrived, the presentation was mouthwatering and left you anticipating the next delicacy.

Edward ordered a bottle of wine and drank several glasses during the meal. I carefully sipped on just one, aware that my current state of locked panties wouldn't be helpful if I had to use the bathroom.

A few times during diner, I caught Edward tumbling the key between his fingers, looking at it like he was trying to figure out what it went to. To his credit, he never asked any questions before slipping it back into his pocket. I smiled to myself, thinking about my plans for the night.

The main course was a light pasta topped with a seafood medley that melted in your mouth. For desert, the waiter rolled a cart of their finest pastries to the table for us to choose. I chose some type of chocolate mousse while Edward picked a raspberry topped lemon tart. We shared the delicious treats by feeding each other a bite or two from our desert plates.

There was a party going on at the beach when we left. Edward informed me that there were going to be fireworks that night and the next. He said we would be able to see them from our beach, but gave me the choice of staying to watch from the resort side. It sounded nice, but what I really wanted was to make some fireworks of our own, so I told him we could catch the display tomorrow night.

When we got back to the beach house, I lit some candles and put some music on. I opened the doors to the balcony to let the breeze flow in before tugging on Edwards tie to pull him in for a kiss. I felt his hands roaming down my back and across my ass as I worked on unbuckling his belt. His hands reached for the hem of my dress, and I grabbed both his wrists to stop him.

I shook my head and said, "You first."

I let go of his hands and watched them slowly move to unbutton his shirt. After the last button was undone, he shrugged off his shirt and unzipped his pants, letting them fall down his legs while he toed off his shoes and stepped out of them. I was in such a trance watching him undress that I almost forgot what I was doing.

He waited until I met his eyes, gave me that signature smirk, and proceeded to take off his boxers. Finally regaining my senses, I took over the task.

"Let me do that," I spoke, barely above a whisper. I dropped to my knees, slowly lowering his briefs while kissing his muscular thighs. He lifted a foot, one at a time, so I could remove them completely. I placed a kiss on the top of each foot and started massaging my way back up his legs. I looked up into his eyes. They were dark and needy with lust as I placed soft kisses to his hardened shaft.

"Bella…" he groaned, burying his hands in my hair as my tongue came out to taste him. He moaned again and told me I had too many clothes on. I massaged his balls with one hand while the other one wrapped around his cock and started stroking.

"Tonight, I want it to be all about you. You've given me so much; it's my turn to give you pleasure," I insisted.

"I want you so bad right now," he responded, tightening his grip on my hair to tilt my head back as he leaned down to kiss me.

I held onto his biceps for leverage and stood up, deepening the kiss before pulling away. "Do you trust me?" I asked, turning to retrieve the silk scarves from the drawer I had placed them in.

"Of course," he answered, waiting for me to return.

"Good," I smiled. "Because I don't trust you to keep your hands to yourself while I try to focus on you." I held up the silk scarves for him to see and asked, "Can I?"

He smiled widely and said, "My body is here for your pleasure. Do whatever you want with it."

"Good answer," I purred, coaxing him to lay down on the bed. He let me tie his hands together and attach them to a wooden spindle on the headboard. I pulled on the tie, testing that it was secure before sitting back and enjoying the view.

"Hmm…maybe…I think I should secure your legs too. Tying you up is more fun that I thought it would be. You look so hot right now. I can't wait to lick all over you."

I grabbed two more lengths of silk and tied a foot to each leg at the bottom of the bed. "Perfect," I announced, walking to the head of the bed to give him a kiss.

"Baby, take your clothes off so I can see you too," Edward requested.

I stood up and unzipped my dress, slowly peeling it down to reveal the lingerie I was wearing underneath. Edward's eyes opened wider and he sucked in a sharp breath.

"Fuck, Bella! You've been hiding that under your clothes all night?" he growled.

"You like it?" I asked, turning around so he could see the backside as I swayed my hips to walk over to the stereo.

"Holy shit! She's trying to kill me," I heard him mumble from the bed before I switched to a CD I had packed. It was a mix of club music that was easy to dance to.

"Baby, I promise everything I do tonight is for you. Just relax and enjoy it," I said, making my way to the side of the bed so he had a full view of me. "I love you," I added, leaning over to capture his lips in a kiss. I ran my fingers down his arms and across his chest, loving the feel of his muscles tightening as he struggled to touch me back.

The music started thumping and I rocked my hips to the rhythm of the beat, running my hands down my body and watching Edward pull tighter against the restraints. I put on a full blown erotic dance, sometimes using the bedpost as a stripper pole. By the end of my act, I had unhooked the garters and peeled away my stockings. I removed my top and started climbing up the end of the bed in only the thong bottoms.

During all my seductive moves, Edward's eyes stayed locked on mine. They were blazing with an emotion I had never seen before. They were, no doubt, filled with desire, but there was also a trace of…maybe nervousness. But it didn't make sense for him to be nervous. I could see the love in his eyes and an awing admiration for me. He looked happy, content, and completely vulnerable at the same time. It was such a strange mix of emotions. I almost started to untie him so I could make sure he was okay, until he nearly growled, "I fucking need you, Isabella!"

I ran my hands up Edward's legs, licking and kissing certain spots. I arranged myself in a kneeling position between his opened thighs and took all of him in my mouth, moaning and slurping hungrily until he ordered me to stop.

"Your mouth feels so fucking good, but I really need to be inside you when I come," he pleaded for my mercy.

I crawled further up his body, letting my nipples drag across his skin until they were touching his lips. His tongue shot out to swipe across the sensitive tip, causing me to moan and lower more of my breast to his face. He sucked hard on each nipple, biting and teasing to drive me crazy.

I slid lower again, removing my nipple from his mouth and replacing it with my tongue. He kissed me with an urgent passion. My fingers tugged roughly at his hair while I grinded my aching center against his chest, fighting for friction.

"Take them off," he growled into my mouth, reminding me that I wasn't done teasing him yet.

"You do it," I breathed back, taking my bottom lip between my teeth and eying his tied hands. "Maybe with your teeth?" I suggested, bringing my crotch closer to his face with the heart shaped lock level with his eyes.

"Oh, wait! That won't work either," I teased.

"Get the key out of my pants, Bella!" he growled louder, causing me to giggle.

"You're not wearing any pants, Edward," I continued to tease. "But I can still take care of you…"

I squirmed my way back down his body until I was sitting on top of his rock hard cock. I rubbed my satin covered center up and down his length, watching as drops of clear liquid beaded up on the head. Before I could increase the rhythm of my rocking, I heard a loud crack and looked up just in time to see splinters of wood flying from the broken bed spindle Edward had freed himself from.

"You're in so much trouble now, little girl," he threatened, sitting up and wrapping his arms around me as he bit my neck almost painfully. I squealed and playfully tried to escape. By the time I realized he had freed both his legs, I was flipped onto my back and pinned underneath him.

"Don't move while I get that fucking key," he ordered, reaching over to the floor to fish the key out of his pants.

"It's not nice to tease me, baby. As sexy as that act was, I couldn't wait any longer," he said, popping the lock open with his key. He bit the inside of my left thigh and ripped the opened thong from underneath me. I was already so worked up that his animalistic behavior had me ready to beg him for release.

"Look how wet you are, Isabella. How could you tease me so hard when you need it just as bad?" he asked, pinning my arms to my side while he hovered over my exposed sex.

Our eyes locked with each other's, challenging and begging each other at once. I knew I would break first. Edward was just too damn sexy and demanding.

"Please, Edward. I need you," I pleaded.

"What do you need from me, Bella?" he asked, reversing the roles and teasing my clit with his thumb.

"I need you inside me…now," I clarified, hoping he wouldn't be as relentless as I had been.

"Be more specific, Bella. Beg me for exactly what you need," he demanded.

"I need to feel you inside me. I need you to fuck me hard and deep. Please fuck me, Edward. Make me come around your cock. Make me scream your name. I want you so bad…please," I begged without shame. Those must have been the magic words because he slammed into me hard, burying himself deep inside before beginning a series of powerful thrusts.

"Oh, Edward! So good, baby…you're so fucking good!" I shouted, matching his movements as he pumped in and out.

"You're so hot and wet, Bella. I'll never get enough of you," he replied, lifting my leg to drive even deeper.

I screamed in ecstasy, probably alerting the main island that my man was a master in bed. "Don't stop. Don't…ever…ever… stop. You feel so good," I moaned, feeling my insides tightening around him. He emitted an almost roar and increased his speed, driving me into a frenzied orgasmic state. I could feel him pulsing in spurts inside me, but he barely decreased his rhythm.

"Can you turn over for me, baby?" he asked.

Barely conscious, I rolled over as his still hard cock slipped out of me for a second. He positioned me on all fours, and entered me from behind. I felt the heat of his skin as he leaned across my back, kissing my shoulder. His right arm wrapped around my waist, assisting me to rock back and forth against him. The arm that was holding him up, moved to cover my left hand, interlocking our fingers as he whispered sweet words in my ear.

"You have no idea how beautiful and desirable you are to me. You're everything I could have dreamed of. You're perfect," he breathed against the back of my neck. His movements changed to a slow and steady rocking as he continued to speak. "When I'm with you like this…my entire life makes sense. When I feel your soft skin brush against mine…when your sweet voice pierces my soul…or I drown in the depths of your eyes…I know I've found my heaven."

No one in the history of the world, could have cemented themselves in someone's heart that way Edward did in mine with those words. I collapsed on the bed with the weight of Edward's body following my fall. He rocked his hips against me a couple more times before spilling into me again. He buried his face in my neck, breathing heavy as he asked if I was okay.

He lifted his weight off me and shifted to his side. I turned on my side to face him, tracing his face with my fingers. Before I answered with words, I delivered as much love as I could through a series of kisses.

"I've never been happier in my life. I could try to tell you how much I love you, but words just aren't enough," I told him.

"I feel the same way," he replied, tenderly kissing me back.

"Sometimes I feel like I can't breath until we're together. It's like my heart doesn't even beat until I see your face. And when you look at me like you are right now…I never want to know a day when I can't look into those beautiful eyes and tell you how much you mean to me," I admitted.

"Bella…" he whispered, closing his eyes and planting a kiss to my forehead before leaning back and cuddling me to his chest.

I let my fingers lightly grazed across his midsection, causing him to shiver and tighten his hold on me. We held each other in comfortable silence as we drifted to sleep.

EPOV

I woke up with the salty ocean breeze blowing warmly across my bare chest. The sun was already starting to shine through the open balcony doors, letting me know that it was later than I had planned on starting the day.

It was our last full day in the Bahamas, and I wanted to make sure Bella enjoyed everything she wanted to do in the time we had left. I remembered that our plans for the day only consisted of relaxing on our private island since we had already spent plenty of time at the resort. So, I decided to let her sleep until she woke up on her own. Sleeping was part of relaxing, right?

I was also enjoying watching her slumber peacefully by my side. She was lying on her stomach, with her head turned towards me and one hand resting on my hip. The white sheet loosely covering the bottom half of her form accentuated the coloring of her lightly tanned skin. She looked so serene, breathing softly with her hair splayed out across the pillow in gentle waves. She slept like an angel taking a break before resuming her protective watch over everyone around her.

My mind drifted to the night before and the way she moved her beautiful body, trying to tantalize me while she held me captive on the bed. I knew I was in trouble as soon as I saw the sexy outfit she was wearing. Her moves were seductive, and her body always amazed me, but it was her eyes that owned me. Every time I looked into those deep brown pools of emotion, I could see my entire future in them. It was a future that I never thought was possible before I met her, but the only future I wanted now that I had. She gave so much of herself that it made me want to be the type of man that could fulfill her every want and need in return.

With every second that I spent with her, it became harder and harder not to blurt out the one question I knew I was going to ask on this trip. After going over a thousand possible scenarios of the perfect proposal in my head, I decided to wait until the end of our vacation to propose. I was so nervous that I figured it would be better to concentrate on giving her the perfect vacation first. If I could make that dream come true for her, then I would ask her for forever.

I knew I shouldn't be nervous. I had every confidence in her love for me, but marriage wasn't something we had discussed before…other than a small mention of having more kids someday. What if her 'someday' was further in the future than my 'someday'? I would wait for as long as I had to, but I was determined to let her know that my life wouldn't be complete until she shared it as my wife.

I closed my eyes and melted into the image of hers from last night. Bella was so full of love and goodness, she almost had a glowing halo around her. She really was an angel. Well, she was an angel until she turned into the devil.

Her relentless teasing had been a huge turn on, until I absolutely couldn't take it anymore. She had a lock on her panties! A lock to which I held the key in my pocket all night. The way I saw it, the expense of a broken bed was well worth putting an end to my 'hard' predicament.

Thinking about how wet and ready she was for me when that lock finally came off, had me at full staff again. Instinctively, my hand drifted past my stomach to deliver a few relieving strokes. I wasn't planning on bringing myself to completion with Bella sleeping next to me, but I was pleasantly surprised when I felt her tiny hand covering mine.

"Still haven't gotten enough, stud?" her raspy morning voice teased.

"I was just thinking about last night and got a little 'excited'," I embarrassingly admitted.

"Mmm…last night you broke the bed to get to me. I knew you couldn't let me take care of you without touching me back," she giggled.

"Bella, if teasing me to the point of insanity is what you call taking care of me, then you're right. I couldn't take it."

"Okay. I'll admit it was a little bit cruel, but I was having fun. Let me take care of you now," she said, pushing my hand out of the way so she could stroke me on her own. "I promise…no teasing."

She worked me with her hand for a minute, watching me to see if I was going to stop her. _No, baby. You're on your own for this one._

I folded my hands behind my head while propping myself up enough to watch her. She gave me an adorable little smile, happy that I was letting her have control.

She leaned over and started placing soft, wet kisses on my stomach while her hand continued to make the circuit up my length, around the head, and back down. Her kisses moved lower. The contact of her lips to my skin left a slow burning fire in it's wake, the placement of each kiss deliberate and a promise of something more.

I let out an involuntary moan when her warm lips reached the head of my cock, her tongue slipping out to taste me. Her tongue drew a wet line down the side and back up, swirling around the tip like she was trying to enjoy a cone of ice cream before it melted in the hot sun.

Watching her as she paid special attention to pleasing me, the muscles in my stomach tightened as I fought the urge to thrust myself into her mouth. Obeying her promise of no teasing, she sucked me in and started fucking me with her mouth. Loving the way it felt when my dick hit the back of her throat, I let out another moan. When those gorgeous brown eyes looked up to meet mine, I nearly lost consciousness as my orgasm exploded. _Those eyes do me in every time_.

"I love watching your face when you come," she commented, resting her head on my stomach while she watched me coming down from my high. I chuckled and let my body fully relax into the mattress, not having the strength to comment back.

We skipped breakfast since it was so late when we finally climbed out of bed. We took a quick shower together and dressed in our swim suits to go to the beach. There was no particular itinerary for the day. We swam for a while, until both our tummies were growling for food. After we ate a couple sandwiches, we took a short nap together in the hammock outside.

The rest of the day was spent lying in the sun, swimming, collecting more seashells, and writing cute messages to each other in the wet sand before the tide washed them away.

For our final evening on the island, I grilled some chicken on the BBQ pit, and Bella steamed some vegetables and rice to go with it. After we ate, Bella suggested chilling out on the couch and watching a movie since we were both a little drained from a full day of sun.

From the small stack of movies available, I expected Bella to pick out some kind of love story. Which, of course, she didn't do. Instead, my girl got excited to watch _Talladega Nights_. The movie was pretty funny, but it was even funnier watching Bella laugh at all the stupid parts. Is it weird that she even quoted half the movie from memory? No wonder Emmett thought she was so cool. He could probably quote the other half of the lines back to her.

By the time the movie was over, it was close to dark outside. I asked Bella to go for a walk on the beach with me so we could watch the fireworks when they started. She happily agreed, admitting that she had forgotten all about the planned fireworks.

I held her hand as we walked a little way down the shore to find the perfect spot. I hoped that I wasn't squeezing her hand too tight, or that my palms weren't grossly sweaty. _"Bethy would not approve of that," _I thought to myself, remembering my daughter's reason for not wanting a boyfriend.

"The past few days here with you have definitely felt like paradise. Thank you," Bella stated, stretching on her tiptoes to give me a kiss. I smiled and pointed to the sky as the first sign of fireworks appeared.

Bella gasped and drew my arms around her as she leaned her back against my chest to watch the display. "They're beautiful," she whispered in awe. "I love watching the different colors explode in the night sky."

Bella watched the fireworks, and I watched Bella. Their beauty was nothing compared to hers. After a few nervous minutes, I decided it was time. I loosened my hold on her and moved to her side, taking her hand in mine and turning her towards me. I took a deep breath and got down on one knee. A look of shock crossed her face, and her eyes glistened with wetness.

"Isabella Marie Swan, since the moment I met you, you turned my world upside down in the best possible way. I never knew I could love someone so completely, and feel so much love in return. There's nothing in this universe that could make me happier than having you as my wife. Will you marry me?"

In less than a second, all my fears disappeared when she answered, "Yes! Yes! Oh, my god! A million times…yes!"

She dropped to her knees to join me as I opened the lid to the little black box that held her ring. The tears started flowing down her cheeks, and her hand was shaking when I slid the ring onto her finger.

"Thank you for saying yes," I added before capturing her lips in a kiss. Her arms clutched tightly around me as she kissed me back. In the distance, the sky lit up with a multitude of colors and shapes for the grand finale.

"I can't believe…when did you…how…I can't believe this is real," she sputtered, wiping her tears on the back of her hand. "I love you so much! I can't wait to be your wife."

"I was so nervous. I was afraid you might say no. Or that you might think it was too soon," I confessed.

"Oh, Edward. I've known for a while that I was destined to spend the rest of my life with you. Whether you knew it or not, you were already stuck with me," she declared, brandishing that adorable smile I loved so much.

After spending a few moments declaring our feelings for each other, we made love right there on the beach. When we got back in the house, I filled the large Jacuzzi tub with warm water and poured two glasses of wine. Bella brought the bowl of strawberries and creamy fruit dip and joined me in the tub to celebrate our engagement.

On our last day of vacation, we rented a pair of jet skis from the resort and chased each other around the ocean for a while. We had lunch by the pool, and we revisited the shops so Bella could buy some souvenirs before we left.

She picked out a necklace for Bethy, with a seahorse charm on it, and bought a few of the tropical wrap dresses that were so popular on the island. One for herself, and one for Alice, Rose, and Mom. I picked out t-shirts and shot glasses for myself and the guys. Our shopping was completed when Bella found a purse made out of a real coconut. I laughed when she made the comment that she would probably never use it, but said, "How often do you have the chance to buy a purse made out of an actual coconut?" I couldn't really argue with that logic, so I paid the fifteen dollars and kissed her on the cheek when I slipped the braided cord over her neck. She smiled like a little kid with a lollypop.

We piled our bought treasures into the boat and made one last trip across to our island. We showered, packed, and said a sad goodbye to paradise before we left.

Bella slept with her head in my lap for half the plane ride home. I was too busy recounting our trip in my head to fall asleep. I was unconsciously toying with the ring on Bella's finger when she looked up at me with sleepy eyes and said, "You like that, don't you?" She stretched out her arm and wiggled her finger, admiring the ring for herself.

"It looks good on your finger," I commented.

She smiled and answered, "It feels good on my finger too."

"Are you ready to share the news with everyone when we get back?" I asked.

She sat up and looked at me with excitement in her eyes, asking, "Does everyone know you were planning this?"

I snorted and said, "Are you crazy? I was too worried you'd turn me down to tell anybody. The only people who knew were Bethy and your dad."

"You told my dad?" she asked, surprise evident in her voice.

"Well, yeah. I had to get his blessing before I asked his daughter to marry me," I replied, lifting her hand and placing a kiss over her ring. "And I needed my daughter's help to pick out this lovely ring."

"Please say yes," she mumbled under her breath. "That's why Bethy has been acting so strange lately."

I laughed and admitted, "I was sure she was going to spoil the secret seconds before we made a clean break in the driveway. She fought so hard to keep it in all week. I can't promise you that she hasn't spilled the beans to Mom and Dad by now though. The whole clan might be waiting to assault us when we walk through the door."

That's exactly what happened too. We arrived at my parents house around seven o'clock. Emmett and Rosalie were still there, along with Alice and Jasper who had apparently shown up for Sunday dinner as well. Everyone was relaxing in the sitting room when we entered.

Mom was the first one to notice us, nonchalantly trying to catch a glimpse of Bella's left hand. I knew the moment she saw it because her eyes welled up with tears and she couldn't keep the smile off her face.

"Mom…" I started to speak. She quickly wiped her eyes and waved off my attention, not wanting to spoil our big announcement with her uncontrollable emotions.

Before I could say anything else, Bethy came running across the room and hurled herself into my arms, whispering not so quietly, "Did she say yes, Daddy?"

Every eye in the room was now focused on my answer to her question. "Yes, sweetie! She said yes," I said loud enough for everyone to hear. Breaking into a proud smile, I took Bella's left hand to show off the ring and announced, "I asked Bella to marry me last night, and she said yes!"

Unable to hold off any longer, Mom launched herself at us with hugs, tears, and congratulations. The rest of the group followed suit. Alice was crying almost as much as my mom when she squealed and crushed Bella in a hug. She gave me a hug too, adding, "You better take care of my girl. Love her and never let go."

"Congratulations, man," Jasper followed with a slap on the back.

Rose gushed at how beautiful Bella's ring was, and Emmett gave me a brotherly hug, adding, "I knew you were smart enough not to let this one get away. I love you, brother. Congratulations."

Dad kept his emotions in check better than Mom, but I could still see his eyes glisten when hugged me and said, "I'm so happy for you, son. I know you two will make each other happy for the rest of your lives."

Bethy rounded out the well wishes, causing everyone to laugh when she cheered, "Yay! Now we really do get to keep her forever!"

"Forever," Bella promised, giving me a wink and kissing Bethy on the forehead.

I was so happy; I wanted to cheer like Bethy and shout it out to the world. The woman I love agreed to be my wife and promised me forever!


End file.
